Meet J. J. Hebert, Author and Publisher

J. J. Hebert is the author of the bestselling books Unconventional and Weepy the Dragon. Unconventional has spent time on the Amazon.com Top 100 bestseller list and has also occupied Amazon's #1 spot on the Inspirational and Christian Fiction bestseller lists. Meanwhile, Weepy the Dragon has also found success, spending time atop the Children's Dragon Stories bestseller list at Amazon and frequenting other Amazon bestseller lists.

J.J. is also the founder of MindStir Media, a self-publishing and book marketing company. When he's not busy writing his next book, he's busy helping authors self-publish their work and offering personalized guidance along the way.

1. When it came to getting your own books published, what inspired you to publish through your own company?

I self-published Unconventional back in 2009, before the big self-publishing "boom" that we've seen today. I was originally represented by a literary agent. The agent's job, as many know, is to shop a manuscript around to major publishers and secure a deal. I had my agent for about six months and we decided to split amicably... My writer friends encouraged me to try self-publishing. At that point, I felt like self-publishing was my "last resort." After much hard work on my end, Unconventional went on to become an Amazon.com bestseller. I've sold over 100,000 copies to date. After seeing the success of that novel, I decided to go ahead and self-publish Weepy the Dragon, a children's picture book I had written many years before. I didn't bother pursuing traditional publishing this time. I went straight to self-publishing as a "first resort."

2. Do you find that most of the sales of your books have come online, or do you also sell a number of books in person at events and in brick and mortar bookstores?

I'd say over 90% of my sales have come from online retailers such as Amazon.com. As a self-publishing author, I realize that in-store/brick-and-mortar distribution is very difficult to secure. Most chain bookstores work almost exclusively with traditionally published books. Thankfully, for the self-published author, most people buy books online nowadays--so there is a very large market for selling books online.

3. Why did you decide to reach out to authors through MindStir Media?

After the initial success of Unconventional, authors actually started contacting me for help. They essentially wanted to pick my brain and understand how I had achieved that level of success. Of course, I can never guarantee a certain level of success for anyone, but the marketing tools and strategies I used on my own books are proven and have done wonders for my career. I ultimately decided to open MindStir Media to the public in order to professionally assist authors throughout their self-publishing journey.

4. In addition to actually publishing your clients' books, what are some of the services you provide for authors?

MindStir Media offers what I call assisted self-publishing. Many authors see the term "self-publishing" and think they have to do everything themselves. MindStir actually offers full-service publishing services such as book design, illustration, professional editing, printing, ebook conversion, distribution, and marketing. I also personally mentor each MindStir Media author.

5. As you touched on earlier, a lot of self-publishing authors feel they have to totally "go it alone." What are some of the reasons that you would recommend that authors collaborate with other people in getting their book on the market?

Self-publishing authors need to remember that they are competing with traditionally published titles. Those titles are professionally edited, designed, and marketed. A serious self-publishing author needs to focus on quality above all else. This means hiring an editor and designer, and even collaborating with a marketing expert/team if possible. There are instances where an author is also a professional graphic designer, and in those cases it makes sense for the author to design his/her own book, but an author should always hire a professional editor. Assisted self-publishing is perfect for authors who want the extra hand-holding and advice. There's no shame in an author assembling a team around him/her. It makes a lot of sense to surround a book with professionals. In my opinion, this gives it a better chance to succeed.

Thanks, J.J.!

Meet Jayme K, Author

Jayme K. is the author of the novel Disorderly and the #1 best selling eBooks Youth and David Bowie is Dead. He lives in Boston with an absurd number of cats.

Keep up with Jayme on his Facebook page, and learn more about Disorderly by checking out publisher's website, Before Sunrise Press.

1. What first gave you the idea to write your novel, Disorderly?

It's funny, actually. Disorderly initially wasn't supposed to be a novel. My process in writing it was drastically different than any other manuscript I've started and that's probably why it was the first one I really finished.

Around early 2012, I came across a prompt for a short story anthology that was going to be published and sold for the sake of charity. There were two specific guidelines in place:

1. It had to have something to do with zombies.

2. The protagonist needed to suffer from cancer, or be a cancer survivor.

So I started writing this short about a guy who was bitten by "a zombie" and didn't fully convert. The problem was, I couldn't stop writing once I reached 10,000 words. The story was much bigger than what I had planned and the way I saw it, I really had no other choice but to let it breathe and expand upon it.

2. How is Disorderly similar and different from your previously published books?

In terms of substance, not very different. Black and white characters are the death of anything intellectually creative, in my opinion. If you don't have complex feelings for at least one major character, then your story is failing. In Disorderly, as well as Youth, it was important to me that my characters and their actions not necessarily be viewed as outright "right" or "wrong." Humans are very grey creatures and I wanted to portray that in both, so on that level, Disorderly and Youth are very similar.

In terms of writing style, I had written Disorderly's first draft prior to starting Youth. My style is constantly changing and it's almost hard for me to look back and read snippets of Disorderly without thinking, "Wow, I could've worded that so much better." That's not to say that my novel is poorly written--I'm not trying to detract from sales! But as a writer, I'm constantly learning and I feel that with every publication I've had, my writing has "graduated." By the time my second novel comes out, I do believe there’s going to be a stark difference between it and Disorderly in that sense.

3. Why did you decide to seek print publication for Disorderly (in addition to eBook format)?

I'm a very aesthetic person. I like the look of physical objects. I like being able to hold something I've purchased, or created, and stare at it, touch it, feel it, etc. With eBooks, you don't get that. You stare at a screen until your eyes hurt or you get distracted by Facebook.

I also wanted to make my work as accessible as possible and having a publisher that specialized in all formats was important to me.

4. I've read studies about how people read and comprehend material differently online vs. on paper. As an author, do you find that readers respond differently to your work in different formats--and as a reader, do you find that you take in work differently depending on the format in which you read it?

That's an interesting question. I haven't noticed any drastically different responses based off of the reviews I've read from those that've burned through the paperback or eBook. As a reader, myself, I actually probably pay closer attention while reading eBooks than I do paperbacks, although I prefer the latter.

5. What are you currently working on, and where can readers find your latest writings?

I'm currently collaborating with an amazing artist--my UnHollywood partner--Joel Amat Güell, on a graphic novel that's tentatively titled "The Extractor." It's an unconventional revenge tale. I'm also co-writing a screenplay with him that's called "Broken." That's his baby. He came up with a brilliant, brilliant idea and I'm excited to be working on that with him.

Scripts aside, I'm also working on my second novel right now and that's been coming along incredibly well.

I've got a few other smaller projects coming up also, so I've got a busy couple of months heading in my direction.

You can find Disorderly and Youth paperbacks and eBooks at BeforeSunrisePress.com/store or Amazon.com.

Thanks, Jayme!

Meet Mario Fazekas, Wildlife Photographer and Author

Mario Fazekas is a wildlife photographer and the owner of Kruger-2-Kalahari.com. He has spent over 700 days on photo safaris in African National Parks such as the Kruger Park, Kgalagadi, and Pilanesberg in South Africa; Etosha in Namibia; plus Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara in Tanzania. Mario is the author of the Photographer's Guide series of how-to photo e-books: The Photographer's Guide to Etosha National Park and The Photographer's Guide to the Pilanesberg National Park, both of which have been rated A+ by Apogee Photo Magazine.

1. When did you first become interested in wildlife photography, and how have your interests evolved over time?

My wife dragged me kicking and screaming to the Kruger National Park back in 1995 and from that initial trip as a day visitor, we have visited the various southern African parks and game reserves every year for our annual vacations and free weekends!

I started out with a Kodak point and shoot camera, realized that was insufficient and then progressed to a Minolta SLR and finally a Nikon DSLR system.

Initially I was interested in photographing mammals, such as the "big-five" as they are large and therefore easier to shoot, but I have now developed an interest in macro photography, photographing birds in flight and also landscapes.

2. What are some of the unique challenges in taking safari photographs?

In order to return home from an African safari with impressive images four things have to happen:

• You need to find the subjects! If you cannot locate animals there will be nothing to photograph.
• Be prepared to get up early! If you want to capture landscape and animal photographs with impact, you need to make the most of the blue hours (the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset) and the golden hours (the two hours after sunrise and the two hours before sunset). You can sleep in at home, but while on safari you must be up and ready when the animals are most active and the light has the most impact and mood.
• You should know a bit about your subjects. You don't have to be an expert in African animals, but know a little about their habitats and behaviors.
• You need to be aware of your position in relation to the subject and the light source. Photography is known as "painting with light," so you must use your light source wisely.

3. What inspired you to share your knowledge in e-book format, and what has the response been to your books?

In 18 years we have captured over 300,000 images on film and digital. We started going through them a few years back and realized that our nature photographs had improved consistently year after year and that we had learned many, many lessons that would also help other photographers improve their skills.

We were going to publish traditional books but the publishers were so dictatorial that we decided to self-publish.

In our e-books, or site guides as they are also known, we share our proven strategies for finding elusive and/or exciting animals such as leopards, wild dogs, cheetahs, etc. We also provide advice on how best to use your photo gear, animal hot spots, advice on lighting at the waterholes and camps as well as photographing at night--basically, solutions to the challenges that most wildlife photographers will face while on safari.

We realised that there was a gap in the book market as there are many coffee-table books with lovely wildlife images and there are also many books on general photography, but not much providing detailed advice for visitors to specific national parks. A lion in Botswana's Chobe National Park may have different behaviors to an Etosha lion that in turn may have different habits to a Kruger Park lion in South Africa and so forth.

Our e-books are for all levels of photographers, from amateur to professional and for self-drive or guided safaris. The plan is that when you arrive at an area covered in these e-books, you'll know where to go when and what to expect and you will know what equipment and techniques will be most effective. Even field guides tell us that they learn a lot from these books!

What usually happens is that visitors waste valuable time getting to know the parks and animals and by the time they start getting "acclimatized" to the animals' current locations and habits, it's time for the visitors to go home! These e-books will prepare the visitor so that from the first day you arrive at the parks, you can be photographing the key animal species like a veteran.

The response to our e-books has been great! We have converted the Etosha e-book to Amazon's Kindle format and are in the process of doing the same for the Pilanesberg site guide, so people have a choice of buying either the PDF or Kindle version. We are finalising our Kgalagadi and Kruger e-books that will be available at the beginning of 2014 and we already have a list of people wanting to purchase them!

4. What do you suggest that photographers do to brush up their photography skills at home before going on safari?

Many amateur and even advanced photographers think that new photo gear is the answer to improving their photographs. We agree that photo gear is important but it is only one half of the solution--the other half is photographic vision or creativity. Many photographers become obsessed with "how" they capture the image (photo gear) and exclude the "why" (the photographic vision) and that is to the detriment of the "what" or end result.

Therefore my advice to photographers is that they should firstly read the key parts of their camera manuals and then actually go and use their cameras at the zoo, at home, or at an air show. We are amazed at how many people buy a new camera and then come on safari without having read even the quick-start guide and without having used the gear. Wildlife action can happen very fast, and photographers must know their cameras and lenses if they want to respond in time and capture good images.

Secondly they should read books and interviews by professional photographers, especially books written by Freeman Patterson and David DuChemin who are both masters of photographic vision. In addition, they should try and buy site guides to the specific national parks that they will be visiting as these books will provide explicit advice and not just general photographic advice. We are not the first photographers to publish e-books specific to certain parks. For example, Arthur Morris, the world's premier bird photographer, has published some excellent site guides for the various American parks and reserves.

5. If you could give photographers just a couple of pieces of advice before booking a safari trip, what would that advice be?

To focus on what we term the "five-P's." In addition to the first two P's of Preparation and Practice, which must be done at home before coming on safari and that we discussed in the previous question, you need to have these three additional traits, making up the 5-P's:

• You must have a Purpose in mind before booking your destination. If you want to shoot as many mammals as possible, filling up your memory cards every day, then you should be going to Namibia's Etosha Park in winter. If you want to photograph birds and wildflowers, then you should be going to the Kruger Park or Kgalagadi in summer and so on. You should also try to be more of a "situation-driven" photographer as opposed to a "subject-driven" photographer--if you want to photograph a cheetah, but you come across a black-backed jackal hunting doves and the light is good, stop and photograph the jackal as you may not find the cheetahs that day.
• Nature has its own time and you will see and photograph much more if you have Patience and spend time at bird-hides or waterholes instead of looking for just a few seconds and then driving on. Take some coffee and rusks with you in the mornings or some sun-downers in the afternoons--let the action come to you, which will make sitting and waiting much more enjoyable!
• Finally, Passion will keep you motivated and disciplined in terms of the other four P's. If you are not enthusiastic about nature photography, you will tend to sleep in, miss the good light and go home with few, if any, "wow" photographs.

Thanks, Mario!

Meet Ashley Litz, Author and Third Grader

Ashley Litz (on the left in the photo below) is the author of No, No, Sammy! (available on Amazon) and a third grader in Georgia. She lives with her parents, sister, four lively dogs, and one easygoing cat. She loves to write, draw, play the piano, and participate in many school activities. Her hobbies include running, writing, reading, and crafts. Ashley's book was illustrated by the artist Linda Albrecht.

Emily Litz (on the right in the photo above) is the author's younger sister and was the model for the girl in the story. She is in the first grade. She lives with her family, four dogs, and one cat. She is involved in piano, Spanish Club, and Running Club. Her hobbies are drawing, making crafts, and writing stories.

Sammy is a black medium-sized poodle and is three years old. He is very lively, always happy and always wanting attention. He sometimes gets into trouble just like he did in the story but he never has a bad day. Happiness and love are very much a part of his personality.

Our interview today is with Ashley.

1. Why did you decide to write a book about Sammy?

My grandparents kept my sister and I after school each day. Emily got picked up two hours earlier than I did. When I got to their house that day, my Grandmother was telling me how Emily kept telling her black poodle, "No, no, Sammy!" each time he did something wrong that day. My Grandmother thought it might make a cute children's book so she began to write down ideas. As she worked on it, I kept telling her to write it differently, "to do it this way for little kids." When it was all done, I had written the whole story myself and my Grandmother liked the way I did it.

2. Does your sister feel like you did a good job describing her in your book?

Yes, Emily said that she thought I did a good job. Emily helped me to remember things Sammy had done and she had tried to teach him some good manners, so she helped me to describe her and the poodle.

3. Were there places where you had to change the real story about Sammy and Emily for the book, or is everything in the book something that really happened?

No, not really. Emily and I thought about different things Sammy had done, like digging holes in the yard, getting into the garbage, etc. He had done a lot of "bad" things so we had a lot of material to work with!

4. Did you give ideas to Linda Albrecht about the way you wanted the pictures to look to go with your story?

Yes, I did with the help of my Grandmother and Emily. We thought of things Sammy had done and wrote the story around those so then the artist drew images that described these events.

5. How did your grandma help you in writing and publishing your book?

My Grandmother thought of the story for the book which I then worked with, and she helped me to find an artist who was good and also affordable. We had a hard time finding someone who could draw animals and that is Mrs. Albrecht's specialty. Then my Uncle Jason did the hard part of putting images and writing together and publishing it to Amazon and CreateSpace.

Check out the book trailer for No, No, Sammy! below.

Thanks, Ashley!

Introducing Inspire Me by Markku Tauriainen

Markku Tauriainen is a 50+ year-old enthusiastic Finnish author and entrepreneur who is also the founder of Taurisol S.L., a new holiday resort in Mijas, Spain. He enjoys running half and full marathons to keep his mind sharp, helping people in sales world-wide, trying to remain humble, and allowing himself to grow to his full potential as a human being.

The author of Inspire Me, Markku blogs regularly at http://markkutauriainen.com/. Be sure to check out his site to read several free excerpts from his book.

Inspire Me is available from Amazon and Lulu. Markku is known for writing with a fresh, easily comprehensible manner about the doctrines of selling and of life, based on his personal experiences of over 30 years as a self-made author and entrepreneur.

"To rise above the pack," says Markku, "we need to have a challenge--beyond dreams!" He is achieving his own dreams by seeing the plans for his Taurisol resort come to life.

More importantly, he hopes to inspire readers to fulfill their own dreams of success in sales, business, and self-actualization. His book offers a unique perspective based on his professional experiences and his personal zest for life, and he invites readers to visit his website to share their own ideas about success, leadership, and enthusiasm.

Introducing His Black Wings by Astrid Yrigollen

San Francisco-based writer Astrid Yrigollen's new young adult novel, His Black Wings, is a unique take on the classic story of Beauty and the Beast. Reviewers call her writing "original and creative" and her characters "strong, interesting, and well-developed."

The novel's main character, Claren Maidstone, has left her childhood home after the death of her parents--and her own harrowing experience of assault. The novel follows her connections to three very different men, including Etrigan Lowood, who bears the dark beauty of a set of wings which carry him out only at night. As their friendship develops, he longs for Claren's love.

Set in the future during a Victorian era revival, the novel depicts a society in which the Grand Council has brought peace to the world's inhabitants, yet malice, revenge, and lust will not be so easily destroyed. This new world of peace and beauty has hidden costs which are revealed as the book progresses.

For an intriguing romance with a steampunk twist, give His Black Wings a read. It's available on Amazon both for Kindle and in paperback. Astrid has written several other books as well, so check out her author page on Amazon for more details.

Meet Digger Cartwright, Author

Digger Cartwright is the author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern-day political thriller; Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s; The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller; and The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West. His latest book, Conversations on the Bench, is an inspirational/motivational novel and is scheduled for release in May 2013. His books are available in hardback, paperback, and e-book format through his website, www.DiggerCartwright.com, online booksellers, and bookstores.

Mr. Cartwright has contributed to a number of articles on a wide range of financial, strategic planning, and policy topics. He frequently contributes articles, commentaries, and editorials focusing on current economic and political topics for the private think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe. He is also an enthusiastic supporter of local no-kill animal shelters and humane societies, the Wounded Warrior Project, and local Meals on Wheels programs. He enjoys golf, participating in charity golf tournaments, falconry, and attending WWE events. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Florida.

1. As an author of several mystery novels, what motivated you to shift gears with your latest project and write an inspirational book?

Actually, it wasn't my idea to write my latest book, Conversations on the Bench. I was asked if I would be interested in writing a book about Sebastian, the central figure of this novel. What really motivated me to undertake the project was Sebastian himself and the story he had to tell. I only met him in person at a symposium hosted by the think tank that he had been instrumental in establishing. Over the next couple days I got to know him and his colleague, and I realized that he had a very fascinating perspective on life that was really the result of his own unique set of life experiences. The more I learned from my few conversations with Sebastian at that symposium and the more I subsequently learned from Robbie, the founder of the think tank, the more motivated I got about writing this inspirational book. It was clear to me that Sebastian's story needed to be told. He had such a huge personality that you couldn't help but like the guy, and I think everyone did. Everyone that I talked to had something good to say about Sebastian or had some story to tell about him and how he had impacted their life. He was always very positive and encouraging, and he was always there for his friends. He was just a remarkable individual and the more I got to hear his story, the more inspired I was. And ultimately, this entire project, Sebastian's story, has really had a very big impact on my life, just as Sebastian himself had a big impact on the lives of people who knew him.

2. Could you tell us a little bit about the real life friendship that inspired Conversations on the Bench?

Robbie was a young college student when he met Sebastian in the mid-1990s. They met while both working at a hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Robbie was a full-time student studying finance, business, economics, etc. and worked full time. Sebastian had an educational background in economics and worked two jobs--tax investigator by day and hotel reservationist by night. They would spend hours talking about everything going on in their worlds and the world at large. And thus began a lifelong friendship. After Robbie graduated from college, Sebastian had some very poignant words of wisdom and anecdotes to share to help the young college grad get through some tough times. Robbie ended up starting his own successful business at about the same time that Sebastian was forced to retire due to health issues. That gave them the opportunity to spend a lot of time together, Sebastian mentoring Robbie and giving him encouragement, and Robbie integrating Sebastian in the business as much as possible.

They ended up starting a think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe, to share their writings about any topic they could debate as well as their economic commentaries and research. As Sebastian's health declined, Robbie was there to offer support and encouragement, just as Sebastian had been there for him. These two guys had this great brotherly relationship. Robbie even referred to Sebastian on many occasions as the brother he never had. And I think Sebastian liked that and really thought of Robbie as his little brother. He was there for Robbie to give him advice on women, relationships, business, whatever, and all the advice came from Sebastian's own experiences. It's the type of friendship that very few people are lucky enough to find in this life. It's really just a heartwarming and truly inspirational friendship that I have recounted in Conversations on the Bench.

3. What are the unique challenges of writing nonfiction compared with writing fiction?

With fiction you can do just about anything. You can suspend reality, and the bigger the lie is, the more believable it is to some extent. With fiction, the writer is bound only by the bounds of his own imagination. It's like an artist with a blank canvas. You start with nothing and slowly but deliberately fill the canvas and bring the picture to life.

Nonfiction is a little more restrictive. Nonfiction is sort of like paint-by-number. You've got a pre-established set of lines and you just have to paint inside the lines. You might get away with changing up the colors a little bit, but you've got to stay in the lines. Nonfiction is reality. You're just re-telling what has already happened. Now, as an author you can take certain liberties and change up the scenery. Maybe you make it raining in a scene where it was a sunny day. Maybe the people involved don't remember where a certain conversation that is being recounted took place, so you have to create a scene where there was not one. With a work of fiction, you get to create the people and everything about them. With nonfiction, you have to get to know the people you're writing about and try to convey a factual representation of them as best you can.

With Conversations on the Bench, I was able to obtain the crux of the lessons and the conversations through interviews with one of the characters in the book. There may not have been a record of exactly when the conversation took place or who else may have been there or in what circumstance the conversation came up or exactly what was said in the conversation. So, as the author, going back to the artist example, I had a paint-by-number that had some missing lines. I had to create those missing lines, then fill in inside the lines with the right color and the right amount of that color. It was certainly a challenge for me going from fiction to a factually-based storyline. You've got to know the people you're writing about pretty well. It took me time and a lot of telephone conversations to get the story from Robbie and get to the point where I felt comfortable that I knew him and Sebastian.

4. How have you balanced your career in business with your interests in writing and publishing?

It's been difficult to balance the two. When I started writing, I did it as a hobby primarily. I did it because I just enjoyed it and wanted to tell some stories. It wasn't really a priority for me. When I could find time, I sat down and wrote a little bit. But the more I wrote, the more I wanted to write even more. I wasn't satisfied with having a book sitting incomplete, so I started to schedule more of my time for writing. I had to keep in mind that business was what made money. In the early days, writing only cost me money in terms of time, and writing at that point didn't have much financial return. As I wrote more, I started to dedicate a little more time each day to writing until I finished a particular project. That's really how I still do it. I don't write full time. I still have business to tend to, but I really try to manage my time well. There's always going to be sleepless nights when I'm working on a project or missed meetings or cancelled lunches, but I've come to accept that.

In the past few years, however, I've really started to focus more and more on writing as a business unto itself. I've chosen to go the independent, self-published route for a number of reasons that are neither here nor there, and that has really gotten me to examine and get deeply involved in the business aspect of being an independent, self-published author. I've really integrated the entire process from writing to marketing into my overall business structure and found some synergies there. I've adopted the perspective that as a writer I'm creating a product and it's my company's job to sell copies of my book. It's been a very entrepreneurial endeavor in writing a book and bringing it to market. That's one of the primary reasons that I'm working on setting up the National Federation of Self-Published Author Entrepreneurs as an outlet and resource for other self-published authors who are serious enough about writing to undertake it as an entrepreneurial business venture. If you're a writer who is serious about your work, you can turn your writing endeavors into a business. Just like any entrepreneurial venture, it's not necessarily easy, and it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. But if you dedicate yourself to it and have a passion for it, you can make self-publishing a successful enterprise.

5. What advice would you give to other authors who have ideas for writing an inspirational book but aren't sure how/where to start?

The first thing you have to do is identify someone or something, maybe an event in someone's life, that has been inspirational for you or others. It's really not hard to find something inspirational to write about. Unfortunately, most people aren't really looking for inspiration. Most people are too wrapped up in their daily lives to see the inspiration in the world around them. Maybe you write about someone who has overcome some great adversity in life. Maybe they fought and beat cancer or some other life-threatening or debilitating disease. Maybe they defied the odds of growing up in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhood only to go on to great success. Probably the most likely source of inspiration is an older person who can share their life story. If you ever sit and listen to someone like my grandmother, it's fascinating to hear her recount her childhood, growing up during the Great Depression, World War II and the greatest generation, and so on. The world is full of inspirational people if we just take the time to listen to them, and I venture to say that if you just keep your eyes and ears open, you may find inspiration in the most unlikely of places. But don't just limit your search for inspiration to people. We're surrounded by a wonderful world of nature and animals of all kinds that can offer inspiration just from the sheer miracle of life and survival. Ultimately, as a writer, you have to be aware of the people and the world around you all the time.

Thanks, Digger!

A Tiny Zine about Writing Found Poetry

When I'm not busy blogging or (more likely) working at my day job (teaching English), I like to write poems, and I also like to make zines. I have a special interest in writing poems that use found text. What are found poems, you ask? Well, I just made a little zine to explain what found poems are, and it includes a couple of fun writing exercises so that you can start writing them, too. They are a fun activity to do with kids as well, and the zine focuses on involving visual elements as you compose--in a way, you could say that found poems are the literary equivalent of collage.

Anyway! If you'd like to check out my zine, I've just listed it in my etsy shop. It only costs $1.00, plus the cost of postage!

Meet Wright Forbucks, Author

Wright Forbucks (also known as W4$) is a comic fiction writer. He is the author of The General Store, The Walking Man, Even Steven, and most recently, Billy Grist. He lives in Massachusetts, in a town that grows apples. He is married with children. He is also devout Red Sox fan, a graduate of an Ivy League university, and an inventor of many fun things. Learn more about the author and his books on his website.

1. You have one of my all-time favorite author names. What's the story behind it?

Real simple. It's my real name :)

Actually, the name pokes fun at myself and Indie Publishing. I think many "writers" rushed into self publishing thinking it was a gold mine. I was one of these people. I make some decent bucks inventing things, but often I was not paid my royalties due by my broke or greedy licensees. So, I decided to write a book to see if I could cash in on some direct payments from Jeff Bezos. In all, I've made a few hundred bucks on book sales, so I no longer have any illusions about writing for big bucks. Instead I write because I really enjoy it. This amazes me because I never had any desire to be an author, but now I'm loaded with ideas for books and having a great time with it. I totally look forward to writing and try to put in an hour or two a day. I also discovered I have an ability to consistently write 500 words an hour and I never have a bout of writer's block. I'm not sure this is a skill, but I can crank out books and it is a very part time thing for me.

2. When writing comic fiction, do you generally have a sense of what will read as funny to other people, or do you regularly share your work with other readers to get a feel for how it plays?

I do not test my stories to see if people think they are funny. I couldn't care less. I just let it rip and hope for the best. My books start with a concept. I then make up a related story in my head. I then write the story down fast--very fast. I don't use an outline. I then re-write the book a couple times to make sure the quality is good. All the funny stuff happens in the first draft. I never come up with a funny thought when I'm in editing mode. After I complete each book I'm overwhelmed by a desired to re-write the whole book again to make it better, which I'm doing to The General Store to make it more light-hearted.

3. Who are some of your favorite writers of comic fiction, and how did you get started with your own writing?

My favorite writer of comic fiction is Kurt Vonnegut. I loved Blue Beard, The Sirens of Titan, and several of his other works. Frankly, until recently, I didn't read many novels. I spent a good deal of time reading technical articles about physics, public health, and other things that interest me, but I only read a few novels a year. So, I don't know my own genre. In fact, on several occasions a real writer has sent me an email saying I remind them of some famous author who I then have to google. Per above, I got started writing because I thought I could cash in on the ebook wave--maybe some day :)

4. What is your "day job," and do your colleagues know about your writing career?

Nobody knows I write books, but my lawyer, and Uncle Sam. My wife and family don't even know I write books. I am not ashamed of my work in any way, but it's just my thing. I'm not looking for advice or acclaim. I like to keep things simple, and sometimes keeping your mouth shut helps. I received an email the other day saying it's a damn good thing I have a pen name, because if radical Islamists read Billy Grist, they're going to try to kill me. This is true. But, to this I say, bring it on! (You can talk tough when you have a pen name.)

I real life :), I'm a engineer and scientist. I make a living inventing things. Most of my inventions involve the manipulation of light. I have numerous patents and a couple million unit sellers on the market, so I do okay, not fantastic, but I have no boss and I usually make ends meet.

5. As a writer who values originality, what's helped you to get your books into the hands of interested readers, outside of mainstream channels of the "big" publishers?

I have zero desire to work with a publisher. I want to do my own thing without interference. This means I have a very small following, but I'm cool with that. I'd write for ten or ten million. I started out with Twitter which led to relationships with a few authors which led to a few readers. I then did a free giveaway of The Walking Man at Amazon, and for some reason, 8000 downloads happened in a few hours. I picked up many readers after that event. In comparison, Billy Grist, a better book, only received 81 downloads over the same time period. So...I'm currently struggling to find readers. However, based upon my reviews to date, which are not from family and friends, I seem to be picking up a few readers, which is all I need. If people like reading my books, great. If not, there's not much I can do about it because I have no desire to write a book based upon an outline with proven sales appeal, which does not mean my next book is not going to be about a voluptuous teenage-female vampire who hangs out with an orphaned wizard :)

Thanks, Wright!

Excerpt from Rhythm of Love

Rhythm of Love is a novel by Maria De Angeles, a romance writer whose short stories were published on the website Oysters and Chocolate. She has also self-published a collection of short stories, titled Decadent Tales. Keep up with this busy author on Facebook and Twitter.

Her most recent work, Rhythm of Love narrates a romance that takes place in the music industry. It is available for Amazon Kindle, and an excerpt from the novel appears below.

***

Niko had known what he was doing when he hired Amber. Two weeks into working, Amber realized that her work history had trained her for this particular job. Her role was not so different from the one she had played at the liquor distributor. With the difference that her expense account was bigger and she had access to more VIP treatment, she was still getting paid to socialize with clients. The main difference was that now the clients were DJs, publicists and the like who should be kept content to boost the fame of Nostra Records' artists.

Of course it wasn't all fun and games. The downside of working for a small label was that she really had three jobs. She did marketing, some talent scouting and as Niko had promised she had to put in office hours. At times she began to feel like his personal assistant as well because as he'd begun to say, “No one gets the job done like you.” It was a compliment to her overachiever nature but it also meant she would need to haggle for a higher salary once the time was right. Which would hopefully be after she landed Santos and Cortes a contract. For the time being, she was busy promoting the existing talent pool at Nostra. Within a few weeks a challenge arose when she tried to get a DJ at one of the two most popular Latin stations to give one of their artists airtime.

"Sorry babe, our airtime is limited this week," DJ Rey announced to her flatly, turning down the Yankees baseball tickets Niko had suggested she send over.

"You've got to have something," Amber pressed, knowing that "no" was not an option in Niko's book. Especially not when he had lucked out on scoring Luna, a young Latina Italian American songstress. Her catchy song had been watched by throngs of teenagers on YouTube and had been the most downloaded song of the week. She had chosen Nostra records over the top labels for the "family" charm of their small staff. Her only competition was a young country singer who had decided to release a song in Spanish to cash in on the Latin market. Niko and Luna's manager wouldn't be thrilled if the country singer got more airtime than her.

"I'm going to be upfront with you," DJ Rey revealed. "I already have tickets to this game. You're not offering me anything that the other representation won't give so I don't really have a good reason to give you priority."

"Other than the fact that the song's in demand by every high school kid and tween out there?" He was a DJ, wasn't it his job to play music people wanted to hear? Couldn't he just sell the tickets or give them to his friends?

Rey laughed, "That's not how it works mami. You give me something and I find slots for your artist."

Suddenly a grimy feeling crept into Amber. Was he asking her to bribe him to play the music? "I'll have to get back to you." She tried to hide her nervousness and hung up the phone. After some thought, she brought up the dilemma to Niko.

"Work something out with him. You speak the same language."

"Just because we both speak Spanish doesn't mean I can convince him to do something," Amber huffed. "It doesn't work that way."

Niko laughed, "Whoa that's not what I meant at all. You're the same age range. Same generation, same lingo, you'd understand him better than me. I'm sure you can figure out what he'd want."

"Oh. Well in that case, that's ageist," she joked, realizing she’d been too quick to get defensive. There was a pause as his words sank in. "Umm isn't that basically bribery? Figuring out what he wants and then giving it to him?"

"If you want to look at it that way. It's how this business works. If we don't do it, someone else will. Take care of it." He turned his attention back to his desk, which was his way of saying there was nothing left to discuss.

As Amber walked back to her office it suddenly sank in that this was a little different from her old job. Or was it? Her old clients bought the products because they were good and in demand and she was simply giving them incentives to keep buying. Now she had a product that was very much in demand but it was being refused airtime because she had to give a higher incentive. Was it different or was it the same thing done in a different order?

"Is this really how it works?" she asked Bianca in the cafeteria over her third cup of coffee. It was one of the days Bianca had come in to help her father with work.

"As far as I know, yes. I guess it sucks because artists get heard for having someone with connections backing them up not for their talent but there's not a lot we can do about it. Most people are more discreet about it though. I'm surprised Rey had the guts to put it like that. You must seem trustworthy to him."

"Suddenly I get why so much terrible music is popular," Amber thought aloud.

"Look at it this way. Daddy wants to work with talented people as much as you do." Bianca noticed that Amber was giving her a cynical look. "Okay I know what you're thinking. Luna's music isn't exactly a masterpiece but teens like that sort of thing. My point is there are more talented artists out there and they deserve to be heard. If we don't play the game and try to top our competitors then we'll never make it far enough to stay in the business and give those artists an opportunity."

Like Cortes and Santos, Amber thought. Her heart always held onto the feeling that the world needed to hear Cortes' music. "I get you."

"We can't change the way things are, we can only change the way we react to them."

"And my reaction should be to buy Rey," Amber scoffed.

"Where's that competitive overachiever I know?" Bianca prodded. "You'll find a way." She winked at her.

Amber downed her coffee and used the caffeine rush to dive back into negotiations. Rey answered his phone so smugly she almost hung up on him. "Tell me amorcito."

"I'm not psychic," she retorted.

"You got fuego girl," he teased. Yes, her attitude was organically laced with fire.

"I'll tell you what I want. You work with Mi Gente, maybe you know some of those models to get me a date with."

"Rey," she whispered into the phone spilling fine honey, "You know with your charms you'll be able to get yourself a date with one of the models. What I can do is get them to host a party with VIP treatment and open bar for you." She wasn't bluffing. With her liquor contacts she could set up the party and the bar would be happy to pay a model for the guest appearance if she had a liquor sponsor.

"Tato, but I want compromising pictures of her and me in Mi Gente."

Amber laughed, "Deal." It would be cake to get her editor to okay it. They lived for that type of garbage.

Meet Astrid Gay, Author, Publisher, and Distributor

Astrid Gay is the owner of Fresh Publishing, a small press based in the UK offering publishing services to authors, publishers, and businesses. Astrid's passion for books and great writing has pushed her to follow her dreams to become an author and publisher, and is slowly being passed on to her three children.

1. Would you describe for our readers your work as a book distributor?

Simply speaking, a book distributor will handle sales and marketing on behalf authors and publishers. My job is to find places to sell and talk about the books I distribute, both online and offline. This will include finding and booking advertising space to fit with the writer's or publisher's marketing plan, trying to secure some publicity on blogs, websites, magazines, or newspapers, and getting the book into both online and offline shops.

2. What motivated you to shift from writing and publishing into distributing, and what has your learning curve been like?

It was my own experiences as a independent publisher that really initiated everything. When I published my non-fiction book, I quickly found out that I had absolutely no way to sell it in shops beyond my local independent bookshops. The major retailers expect most of their titles to come either from wholesalers or distributors. Since I was an independent with an unproven sales record, I was of little interest to them.

So I took the steps needed to become a distributor myself. A distributor is not that much different than a publisher. I just take over after the book has been published and concentrate on selling and marketing, leaving the publisher with more time and energy to publish their next book.

3. What are some current opportunities you see for authors and publishers in the paperback book market?

Print on demand has been a great opportunity for everyone in the industry for a few years now. It has allowed publishers to keep books in print for longer, and self-publishers to get their work out there.

Many people will still buy the paperback version of a book after reading the ebook, if it is available. As such, it is still a good idea to have your book with a print on demand printer to supply it if it is ordered.

4. Why should independent authors (including self-published authors) not focus exclusively on publishing their work in e-book format?

Even with ebooks gaining in popularity as quick as they are, it will take a while before the printed book disappears. And as such, no one should underestimate the paperback market. Ebooks are predicted to rise to a 25% share of the market in the UK and stabilize at that point. In the US, this point is supposed to be 50%. This still leaves a 50-75% share for the printed book. It is simply not a good business decision to ignore half of your potential readers.

5. What are some techniques you find helpful in publicizing the books you distribute, and what do you recommend that authors do in promoting their work?

The very first thing any author should do is learn more about their readers. No book will be read by everyone, never mind how broad its appeal. If you can define even just a few characteristics of your typical readers, you will stand a far better chance at succeeding: first, because you can then target your writing to your market; and second, because marketing will be a lot easier--whether this is done by your publisher or yourself.

One of the best ways to publicize your book is still to have good networks to rely on, both personally and with others in the industry. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks are good for this, but not quite enough. My advice is to create a database with names, contact details, social network handle names, and interests for each person or business in your networks. You never know who will be able to help when.

But my favorite tool is the virtual book tour. It's often a hard one to organize--because you need to handle so many things at once, such as contacting blog owners, creating or sourcing content, promoting the tour on top of promoting the actual book... But it's often rewarding both in terms of sales and increase in the author's reputation.

Thanks, Astrid!

Meet William Norrett, Author and Director

A graduate of Regis High School in New York City and Duke University, William Norrett is the author of several plays, including The Sophisticated Rogue, The Dealer Was Showing Six, and Brendan O'Lenihan Leaves Three Daughters. He is also the writer/director of the short film collection You Know What This Song's About?. The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription is his first novel. He still lives in Los Angeles, where he runs the website SophisticatedRogue.com.

The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription is available in print and as an e-book at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Autographed copies can be purchased through SophisticatedRogue.com. Follow William Norrett on Twitter at @NobleJester or on the Sophisticated Rogue Media page on Facebook.

1. In writing a mystery, how did you draw on some of the traditions/conventions of the genre, and how does your book diverge from other mystery novels?

The noir, especially the "Los Angeles Noir," is a great staple of film and literature but not because of its structure, which is somewhat formulaic. It's not the template that makes The Big Sleep, Double Indemnity, or Chinatown fantastic; it's the execution of that template with an individual flavor. With The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription, I wanted to pay homage to the formula while at the same time deconstructing it. I wanted to at once follow the template and pull it apart. So I tried to write a "sarcastic noir."* Each step of the way I tried to take the typical trope of a mystery or thriller, and then twist it slightly. For example, I might say to myself, "Here's the part where the femme fatale usually appears. How can I make that different?" or "Here's a car chase. How can that be off-beat?" Often times that meant creating tension in the story but then somehow deflating it, poking a hole in it. Everything in noirs and mysteries is so, so serious that I wanted The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription to have high stakes but also wink at the drama taking place. I tend to create mountains out of molehills in my own life, so I thought a noir that appeared to be full of danger, fraught with peril, but turned out to be nothing, might make a point and be funny. In a way, I wanted the built-up danger to be exposed as false. I paid homage to noirs like Chinatown and Sunset Boulevard, among others, but hopefully in ways that were also irreverent and amusing.

(*Registered trademark on the phrase "sarcastic noir" pending.)

2. I'm guessing that length might have been one factor behind your choice to self-publish your novel as it can be hard to place longer novels with publishers. What are some other factors that made self-publishing the right choice for you?

Um, I beg your pardon, Mandy--The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription is only 450 pages, a very readable 450 pages. (smiles) Don't scare people off! The key word is readable. (crosses fingers) Actually, I didn't consider length when I decided to self-publish. Besides, when you self-publish with a print-on-demand company you pay by the page, so length is a factor regardless of the path you choose. You can't avoid the incentives to stay brief. No, the reason I decided to self-publish was, I didn't want to rely on other people to determine whether or not I was a novelist. I didn’t want to spend two years sending out query letters, in the hope that some overworked fifty-something literary agent might happen to ask for the manuscript, and then might happen to love that manuscript. I didn't want to pray that agent could convince the overworked twenty-something editorial assistant to pick my manuscript off the slush pile, didn't want to wait for that assistant to persuade his or her jaded forty-something publisher that the novel was marketable, didn't want to drive myself crazy thinking knowing that the publisher wasn't supporting the novel, wasn't promoting it, so on and so forth. There are so many legends about successful novels, classic novels, that were rejected dozens of times, just so much evidence that getting a novel published the "traditional" way is a crap-shoot. I'm not proposing The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription is a classic or anything--again, key word: readable!--but I decided I was going to control what I could control. Now it used to be, novelists could only control writing their novel. No longer. Anyone can publish. So why not? Now, the work of promoting and selling the novel is daunting, but I'm learning as I go, getting better at it, and it's been exhilarating to realize that I can do it. I've made plenty of mistakes along the way, but nothing in the process has made me anything less than excited to write another novel. To me, that excitement proves I made the right decision.

3. How does your experience writing for the stage influence your fiction writing?

Well first, it influences me by reminding me, "Man, writing a play goes by a lot quicker!" Writing for the stage (or screen, for that matter), you get to churn out work with a lot more blank white space left on the page. In writing a script, blank white space is your friend. In novels, blank white space is cheating somehow... But if I'm forced to take my whining out of the equation, the biggest influence on me is in the dialogue. Obviously, there are stage directions and some description in plays, but the bulk of it is dialogue. The dialogue is where the conflict is, where the subtext and tension are, and where the pace of the piece is measured. Plays are meant to be seen, not read, but I try to take that idea of communicating as much as I can with dialogue and apply it to my prose. Even in fiction it's important to write how people talk, and as a writer anything I can do to move the story, and not hang the reader up, is the choice I need to make. Also, writing dialogue for actors to speak has given me experience in hearing things that, while I thought they worked on the page, don't work out loud. Something I find hilarious when I write it, I might hear aloud and go, "Ugh. You're a hack, Billy." Also, writing plays has helped in that, within the overall structure, there are scenes, with their own beginning and endings, their own objectives. Being able to navigate individual scenes and then link them to the overall story, see them connect on stage, helps inform how I do it with my fiction. Loosely treating each chapter as its own scene helps create the chain.

4. How do you utilize your background as a performer when you give readings of your work, and do you have some readings scheduled for 2013?

The few readings I've done so far have been a true pleasure. Obviously, it's a performance, and having acted before helps me when I read, as I can try different tones, pacing, depending on what's getting a good reaction. I have been told I need to slow down, however. But even better has been the help I've gotten. The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription is the name of a comedy group the main character of the novel is in, and is loosely based on a sketch/improv group I performed in for a number of years. So for the readings I've done, I've asked the other guys from the group to read characters from the novel. Though I have always enjoyed watching authors read from their work, the experience is generally straightforward--author stands behind a lectern, reads a chapter, and then takes questions. It can be somewhat staid. As I suspected, having my former troupe-mates read with me has really livened up the experience--almost like making it a play, somehow. It also fuels the speculation about what parts of The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription are autobiographical, which is always a fun game until it becomes incredibly awkward for us all, although none of my fellow actors have gotten upset with me--yet... I do have readings scheduled for 2013, and hope to do more. I'd love to do more. I have a standing offer: anyone who gathers a group, or book club, together and requests a reading within my travel reach can have one. Negotiations willing, I will come to anyone (I cannot promise my former troupe-mates, however, airfare being what it is...) They only have to email me to get the ball rolling.

5. What projects are you currently working on?

Two projects currently. First, a play (Blank white space! Blank white space!), actually a comic musical, that I wrote with two collaborators, provisionally titled, M.V.P., about American presidents and what it means to be a "great" man in the age of reality television. The three of us are hoping to mount the world premiere production in Los Angeles this spring. I think it's got a lot of potential--it's quite funny (hopefully my department), and the music (not my department) is tremendous. Second, I've started my next novel, based on an idea I've been kicking around forever about the afterlife and morality in today's society. Apologies for being vague, but I worry that the more I talk about what I'm going to do, the more I persuade myself I've actually done something with it. So I just need to grit my teeth and move on it. For so many years, I wondered if I had what it took to write a novel, if I could actually be my own sherpa, and climb the mountain. With The Vanilla Gigolo Prescription, I proved to myself that I could tell a story, that I could climb that mountain. I've been thrilled that it turned out even better than I expected. So with this next novel I'm hoping to climb a higher, more ambitious mountain. I'm aiming to finish the first draft by year's end--sherpa willing.

Thanks, Bill!

Meet Leandra J. Kalsy, Author

Leandra J. Kalsy lives near New York and enjoys writing, reading, learning, traveling, crafting, and helping others to feel better by healing their relationships with food and learning methods to relieve stress. The author of The Woman's Guide To Building Self-Esteem, Feeling Good, And Getting In Shape With Belly Dance, Ms. Kalsy has a particular interest in writing about the many aspects of health, from physical to emotional to spiritual.

1. What motivated you to start writing about health and wellness?

Since my background is in health and wellness, namely nutrition, this is the direction which my writing naturally takes. Although I have other writing interests such as poetry and short stories, I love writing in the health and wellness genre because I feel you can address what really influences people's quality of life on a daily basis. These topics include emotional health, nutrition, exercise, spiritual health, stress relief and much more. Because we all share these aspects of life in common, I find that this serves to connect me even deeper to my target audience, because we've all been there. And if I've been there like you've been, then the advice I give has that much more authenticity to you, the reader.

2. As a writer, what are some specific things that you do (or specific techniques you use in your work) to forge strong connections with your readers through your words?

There are several practices I embrace in order to create writing that is worthy of my readers. These include:
a. Creating as ambient and quiet a writing environment as possible, so that I can deeply connect to that inner writing aspect of myself and deliver my best work.
b. Retreating in nature or in a calm space when I'm not writing so that I am re-energized and in the optimal mental state to write from my heart.
c. Constantly jotting down ideas with the old fashioned pen and paper.
d. Reading a lot of non-fiction on self-transformation and inspirational books.
e. Acting as the guinea pig for much of the advice I offer to my audience, by constantly exposing and immersing myself in many healing modalities and aids, stress relief techniques, holistic nutrition and wellness paradigms.
f. Always taking the approach of open-mindedness in my writing.
g. Making sure to always set the intention to help create meaningful change with my words, so that the reader's life can be enhanced by what I put out in my books.

3. Could you describe why you chose to publish in e-book format and how that format has been a good fit for your books?

I think that the e-book format of publishing is fitting with the way the world has been transformed by the internet and the introduction of multiple e-book reader platforms, especially the Kindle. Also, as a writer, using the e-book format allows me to self-publish and to focus more on my writing. I don't have to expend a large portion of my energy soliciting publishers and agents, and sending out manuscripts. I get to write on my terms, and although getting myself to become known is a challenge at times, it feels good to be fully in charge of what direction my writing takes. In addition, because I am directing my own marketing, and not someone else or a corporate marketing campaign, I get to connect more intimately with my readership and with the writing community in general.

4. What would be your advice to women who are curious about belly dance but feel a little shy about trying it?

I say go for it. Belly dance doesn't require an audience for you to become proficient at it, so there is no need for shyness. And taking classes in not my focus in the book, because I know that this can be daunting for a lot of women. The only audience while leaning belly dance you really need is yourself in the privacy of your bedroom or any comfortable space for you; and the only person you need looking back at you (at least initially) is also yourself, probably in front of a mirror.

I know that the image of belly dance we often have in our heads is of a skimpily clothed, slim, sexy woman in some Hollywood film gyrating her hips and dancing in front of a mostly male audience. Some people even equate belly dancing with exotic dancing like in a gentleman's club.

One of my goals with this book is to erase and transform this perception, and allow women in particular to see the beauty, art, and effective form of exercise that belly dance really is. They can belly dance in their sweat suit, t-shirt and tights, or home dress if they like and still feel sexy.

I grew up being one of the shyest kids in the class, and I also have been shy for much of my adult life. But when I'm belly dancing, there is no shyness, and it has given me more confidence in other aspects of my life as well. Belly Dance is the natural "happy pill, an emotional uplifter and stress reducer, and a wonderful form of exercise for women that hardly anyone is telling us about. This is the time more than ever for women to take back their power, and use their feminine grace to get what they want in life. Belly dance is a quick outlet to let your feminine grace shine and help you become more confident as a woman in your body, your well being, and your life.

5. In your own life, how do you balance work, family, and health/wellness?

To me I'm on an ongoing transformational journey every day to achieve and maintain balance and harmony in my life, and I'm just taking my readers along for the ride with my writing. I find balance by surrounding myself with gentleness as much as possible with such things like immersing myself in nature whether it be taking walks, using essential oils to uplift my mood, or using holistic products as much as possible. I also listen to soothing music often, especially instrumentals and brain wave technology creations from places like Evolution Ezine and Daily Om. I am constantly listening to webinars from leaders in self-transformation, and I read on a daily basis anything that allows me to feel good or better in that moment. Of course I belly dance to instantly uplift my mood and use writing as a therapeutic outlet. But I find that the simplest way to experience balance for me is when I allow myself solitude and retreat regularly to enjoy time with myself and recharge my batteries. Then I can be ready to face the world again.

Thanks, Leandra!

Meet Phoenix, Author

Phoenix sent this autobiographical note... I am Lee Jordan and I am The Phoenix. I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, grew up in California, and came from a long line of Americans who were pioneers and individualists. The family tree goes back to the revolutionary war and is filled with rugged people, rough coal miners, and farmers who lived in log cabins in the early west.

I love researching history, philosophy, and religions and am never content with the way things are explained. I love to look into the nooks and crannies and wonder, what if? I live in Hollywood with my husband, Gary, and our ornery tomcat, Snickers. I wrote A Whisper from Eden, A Historical Fantasy, which is an epic fantasy about the Mandan Indian tribe. My husband and I, as co-writers, are busy at work writing a paranormal thriller series.

1. What sparked your interest in the Mandan culture, and could you describe the scope of research involved in writing A Whisper from Eden?

A Whisper from Eden started as an American western. I was having fun reading Louis L'Amour and thought I would give the genre a try. However, it evolved into something else entirely, because the research spurred ideas.

The year was 1837. Clayton Pinckney was enthralled with the Indians. He was a sixteen-year-old, aspiring writer who has little interest in his advantaged life. He was handsome, well educated, and the son of a wealthy plantation owner. However, his enthrallment with the Indians was a shame to his family. Clayton was determined to prove his was not just a foolish boy with silly ideas with his ideals about the Indians. He felt he could ignite imaginations and provoke curiosities with his writing. What he needed was a good story. And so did I.

I needed an Indian tribe, but I knew nothing about the Indians. My research led me to the Mandan tribe, and I was hooked, completely enthralled. I figured he would be too. To prompt Clayton to run away from home in search of the fabled wild and exotic tribe, all that was needed was a heated clash with his father.

2. In reading the reviews of your book, I notice that reviewers mention multiple genres in describing it: how would you describe it in terms of genres such as fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, western, and beyond?

My husband and I decided not to worry about writing in many genres or creating new pen names for each. We are Lee and Gary Jordan as The Phoenix and have several other books in various genres planned.

But finding a category for a reader using the Amazon search engine can find has been such a problem. Readers of a particular genre have certain expectations. Most of the time, historical fantasy is about castles, knights, King Arthur, Merlin and such. There is a review on Amazon right now where the reader said: "This is not sci fi." Well, no it is not. It is not historical fiction either because of the fantasy elements.

Native American Fiction is the best category. And so is Literary Fiction. However, defining literary fiction opens a can of worms. The easiest way to define it has something to say about the human condition. In a brick and mortar store, genre fiction will go on a shelf with other of its kind: romance, mystery, thrillers, westerns, etc. Meanwhile, literary fiction will appear in the "General A-Z" section, along with mainstream fiction.

I love to read and have read so many terrific books that would be impossible to shove into a category. However, the subject of category and genre is an unfortunate fact of life for a writer.

As far as the sci-fi elements of A Whisper from Eden, A Historical Fantasy, one of the things that fascinated me about the Mandan lore was their belief in a god called Lone Man. A field researcher in the 1930s interviewed an old man on the Berthold reservation. He asked who Lone Man was. The old man said that Lone Man came from the stars on his vehicle that sped through the sky like a comet, only slower. I thought: were the Europeans not the first “aliens” to find the Mandan Indians in North America? According to the Mandan lore, the People from Above sped through the skies in vehicles that were like comets and landed on the prairie. They have a ceremony dramatizing Lone Man's arrival. He arrived at their village and told them he was there for good. He then taught the Mandan tribe magic because they were special. Of all the tribes in the northwest, they were his chosen ones. He taught them magic to make them powerful, to call the buffalo instead of chasing them, and the ability to tap into the supernatural.

When he left for the last time, Lone Man assured them that if they were ever in serious trouble, he would hear their prayers and he would return.

Some facts are just too good to resist!

A Whisper from Eden is available on Amazon.com.

3. What are the particular challenges involved in writing and publishing a lengthy book?

I did many rounds of query letters to agents and the interest was high, but the book was too long. It was suggested many times that I cut it or make two or three books. I finally decided to self-publish. Self publishing not only gives an author tremendous freedom, but also control.

4. Would you tell us about the collaborative writing you and your husband are doing?

Writing with my husband is very exciting because we brainstorm a plot, start writing, and trade the manuscript back and forth using Word revision mode. Together we are very creative. However, we don't always agree on a plot point. Most of the time we do. It is a kind of separate but together collaboration. With the brainstorming sessions, we are able to come up with some exciting and fresh ideas--like the paranormal thriller series which we are writing right now.

5. What's your process for writing/working together with your husband, and what advice might you offer to other (potential) collaborators?

Co-writing is a tricky thing if you can pull it off. Ego can be a problem. A writer falls in love with his/her own words. So trading the manuscript back and forth and making revisions, adding a scene or subtracting a part, has the potential of being upsetting to the other writer. With the first book in the series we are writing, I made changes and cuts and didn't use the Word revision mode. That upset him. So I promised I wouldn't do that again. I now make sure he sees my changes in red.

The main thing is not to keep something in the story the other does not agree with just to be pleasant and agreeable. That won't work. Critics and readers don't care about the writer's feelings. They like something or they don't and are not always kind. Hard fact, but true. By the way, A Vampire's Island, Leon's Lair is coming soon, along with the sequel, A Vampire's Island, Leon's Revenge.

People can go to my website and email me for a free Kindle version of A Whisper from Eden. I will send the Amazon gift certificate via email and be able to notify them when we have published new books.

Thanks, Phoenix!

Meet Jeremiah Walton, Poet and Publisher

Jeremiah Walton is a youth poet living in New England where he attends high school. He manages Nostrovia! Poetry, a small, independent press, and is author of a handful of poetry collections, including LSD Giggles and To Your Health: Humanity's Diagnosis.

1. What inspired you to start Nostrovia! Poetry, and in what formats does Nostrovia! publish?

I created Nostrovia! Poetry to feature Nostrovia!, a collection of poems I attempted to publish through a vanity press in 2011. The project went haywire, and finally fell through summer of 2012. I've taken it into my own hands to self-publish the collection. During this process though, in late 2011, I realized I didn't want to solely feature my poetry and writing. The Guest Blog was then opened to promote other writers. The Guest Blog was the stepping stone that lead to Nostrovia! Poetry as it is now. It was an evolutionary process, of sorts.

Nostrovia! Poetry offers publication through three blogs--the Official N!P blog, Guest Blog, and Nano Nostrovia! Poetry--as well as anthologies, contests, and, recently, a project called "Too Obscene", a one issue zine.

2. As a writer and publisher, how do you maintain a balance between seeking publication of your own work and helping other work you admire find its way to publication?

I work the most with Nostrovia! Poetry, subjecting more of my time to the website than writing or seeking publication for my own work. I have a friend interested in working as an editor for N!P though, and I may take her up on that offer, in regards that it will open up time for me to actually write, though I truly enjoy working on the website, from maintenance to design, reading submissions, and organizing publishing endeavours. I've read many wonderful poems and met many wonderful people.

3. As someone who is young enough to have always has the internet be part of our culture, do you think you perceive publishing in a different way from someone who didn't grow up with the internet?

I might. I may add more merit to publishing online than people who have not always had the internet integrated into their life, but then again, I enjoy the feel of a print collection of my work in my hands the most.

4. What motivates you to write poetry?

I've asked myself this, and I still do not have a concrete answer. I am conveying myself and experiences to a reader through a creative medium. This can be done in countless ways, though. Poetry was what clicked with me.

5. What do you look for in the poetry you want to read (and to publish), and who are some of your favorite contemporary poets?

I look for originality and creativity, experimentation, and breaking the barriers many poets close themselves within, whether it's a closed-minded action of blocking yourself into a particular style and not allowing growth, or trapping yourself in age-old cliches.

My favorite contemporary poets include Allen Ginsberg, Walt Whitman, Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Charles Bukowski, and a handful of others. Beat poets clicked extremely well with me, especially when I was younger.

Thanks, Jeremiah!

Meet Thomas L. Vaultonburg, Poet

Thomas L. Vaultonburg founded Zombie Logic Press in 1997. He has published four volumes of poetry, Concave Buddha (1991), Detached Retinas (1997), Flesh Wounds (2011), and Submerged Structure (2012). His poems have appeared in over 200 publications and anthologies, including Exquisite Corpse, Caliban, and The Paris Review. His latest project is a children's book titled The Toughskin Rhinoceros Wrangler Company, co-created with artist Jenny Mathews.

1. What motivated you to start Zombie Logic Press?

When I first started publishing poetry in 1989, there was a vibrant small press scene with hundreds of different zines, and it was a snap to get your poetry published, but the internet virtually ended the small press movement. Also, the best one could really hope for at that time was to publish a string of chapbooks. There was no digital publishing, and full-length books were not the norm. By 1997 it was difficult to find interesting places to publish, and since publishing a chapbook was almost never a money-making proposition, I decided forever after to just go ahead and publish my own work. That way I had total control over the content, design, and distribution of my work. And that's why I formed Zombie Logic Press in 1997. Of course now it's a million times easier to publish a book, but back then it was still somewhat of an effort.

2. What topics most intrigue you as a poet?

I almost never take on the eternal questions like truth, justice, or beauty. I'm a big fan of poets like Richard Brautigan and Charles Bukowski, and I learned from their writing that sometimes the best you can do as a poet is capture one simple moment in life, and then not try to take it all that seriously. Generally I have no conscious editorial process as to what I will or will not write about because almost every poem I have ever written has come to me fully written in a flash, and I have no idea where it came from or why.

3. How has being a lifelong resident of Rockford, Illinois influenced your work?

I posted this question on Facebook to see how my friends who are artists and also lifelong residents of Rockford would approach this question because in general Rockford is made a laughingstock in the national press as evidenced by being rated Money Magazine's Worst City in America and being labeled the 9th most dangerous and 4th fattest city in America. But I live three blocks from the hospital I was born in and having that type of long view on a place allows me as a writer to really see how things either change or don't change over time. I like Rockford. Not just because I want to be contrarian about it, but I legitimately like downtown where I live on the busiest street in town, surrounded by other artists, writers, and filmmakers who do their best to create in a place that doesn't seem suited to that task at all. I'd like to think Rockford, of all places, needs what we do, whereas if I moved to Chicago I'd just be one of hundreds like me. I really had to sleep on this question because there is also a simultaneous impulse to be bitter or negative because Rockford is a place where you can find all the negative you want, but I don't find that adding shade to shade is particularly productive in a place like this.

4. What were the main differences between writing your latest book--a children's book--and writing your previous books of poetry?

The main difference is compression of language. As a poet I always feel pressured to really condense a moment or an emotion into as few characters as possible, which is why I don't find the current social media model of 140 characters distressing. But when I write for children, I don't feel if I go overboard a little bit they'll lose interest because children don't read editorially: all they want is to be entertained. Poetry is said to be the hardest form because even a small mistake can mar a poem, and serious readers and editors of poetry will immediately spot that mistake or misstep and tune out. That's enormously stressful when one is trying to write a poem. Children won't tune you out if you don't adhere to to the rules, so you can go ahead and break the rules. The only rule is just be fun. I like that.

5. How long have you been creating Tiny Drawing Poems, and how do you personally experience the connection between poetry and visual art?

Almost not at all. I'm not a visual person, I have no spatial intelligence, and I can't even draw a stick figure, which is why getting the chance to work with an artist like Jenny Mathews of Tiny Drawings is such a blessing. She draws and I write. I'm not sure where and when I got the idea or why I didn't get it before, but one day I said why not combine the two, and we realized independently in our work we had themes that went well together. And since then it's been a blast because she can literally draw anything, and I have fun challenging her to draw something ridiculous like a grown man in a bird's nest and fifteen minutes later there's the drawing. I'm amazed by that.

Thanks, Thomas!

Meet Greg Griffith, Writer

Greg Griffith is a poet, writer, and visionary from London. He has recorded music under the persona of Mr Griméz The Anti Hero. In 2004, he started to develop a comic for his character Mr Griméz. In his words, "It went through a development hell process, and now in 2012 the comic book has risen from the ashes." Check out sample pages of the comic, illustrated by Caroline Harrington, on Facebook.

1. Who is Mr. Griméz, and what's his world like?

Mr Griméz (Grim-éz) is a warrior from the Sulari clan. The purpose of the Sulari clan is to eliminate the parasite race known as the Hyperons. In the first issue of this comic, we see the reality of Mr Griméz become distorted due to a situation. Can he overcome the challenge, or will he be consumed by negativity which could take him off his warrior path? With all the chaos and confusion in London, how does a warrior maintain his sanity due this situation?

2. What inspired you to use a retro style for your comic?

It's no secret that I am a fan of the 1990s, but I do appreciate comics, movies, cartoons from the 1980s, 1970s, and even 1960s. I do prefer hand drawn comics & cartoons--it feels more organic.

My retro-style comic sucks you into the dimension of a gloomy London hit by a recession. The artwork shows you that London is a damaged place due to manipulation of Hyperons. Even though the comic may seem dark and miserable, it's animated with a sense of humor and philosophy.

Retro comics are a part of history and should not be forgotten or censored. Since digital comics are flooding the marketplace, I think it's good to bring back the nostalgia of the art form in the digital age.

3. What's your process for collaborating with Caroline Harrington?

Firstly I build up the concepts in my mind. Then I go through a filtering process with the ideas. I write the script, and then I do some filtering with certain scenes and the dialog. While this is happening, Caroline is illustrating my vision of the characters in the comic.

When I sent the complete script to Caroline, she did a draft version of comic to make sure I was happy with the ideas presented. Then--ka-blam!--Mr Griméz Anti Hero London Terrorist Part 1 was born.

4. Why is the comic format the best way to tell your character's story?

I feel that the comic format will inspire people to do more reading. This could be a starting point for some people to eventually read books to help build their knowledge. Some people may find reading books a hard time, but reading a comic is much easier. The artwork engages them with the story and sparks their imagination. I do believe imagination is important, so it would be great if adults start using it more.

I did try to write a book version of Mr Griméz, but I felt it didn't have the same impact as the comic. The comic creates the right atmosphere for the reader. Sit back, read it, and enjoy the adventure.

5. What would your advice be to someone who wants to write a comic but hasn't tried writing comics before?

Ask yourself the question: what stories would you like to see in a comic book format? Never take the safe option and create what everyone else is doing. For example, if the most popular genre right now is a zombie invasion, then try writing about something completely different. Mix and match concepts together to form one concept. Your comic book idea might take a long time to manifest but be patient with it. Use your imagination and think of the unbelievable and don't be afraid to take a risk. Embrace your creativity and don't allow yourself to be a lifeless robot thinker.

Thanks, Greg!