Who’s That Indie Author? Priscilla Bettis

Priscilla Bettis

Author Name: Priscilla Bettis

Genre: Horror

Books: The Hay Bale (January 2022), Dog Meat (November 2022)

Bio: Priscilla Bettis is an avid horror reader and passionate horror author. She’s also an excellent swimmer, which is good because vampires are terrible swimmers. Priscilla shares a home in the Northern Plains of Texas with her two-legged and four-legged family members.

What got you started as a writer? I read The Exorcist when I was ten (I know, right?!). It lit up my emotions and left a powerful impression. I had no idea until then that books could do that. That’s when I decided I wanted to be a novelist when I grew up.

What is your writing routine? In the summer, I go for a jog at first light before the heat hits (and the heat hits hard in Texas). Then I write. In the winter, I get up at 4:50 in the morning and write in the dark silence, then go for a jog. Exercise is an important part of my writing routine. While I’m exercising, I let my mind wander through “what if” possibilities in my stories.

What route did you take to get your books published? The Hay Bale was self-published.  For Dog Meat, I shopped the manuscript around to small-press publishers, and Potter’s Grove Press picked it up.

What things do you do to promote your books? I have a blog and talk about my writing there. I also sent ARC’s of Dog Meat to horror YouTubers I follow. And I Tweet.

What is your favorite genre to read and why? Horror, which makes sense because that’s what I write. But I also enjoy a good mystery, a wee bit of fantasy and science fiction and poetry, and a good nonfiction book on religion, physiology, neurology.

Do you prefer to write dialogue or description? Description for sure. It’s fun to add a poetic turn of phrase to a prose passage, but it’d sound awkward to do that in typical dialogue.

Have any of your characters ever surprised you? Did this change the plot of your book? Oh, how I wanted the preacher in The Hay Bale to be a sweet, small-town pastor, but he just refused. It definitely affected the plot!

What is the most difficult thing you have accomplished in your life? Getting through the first year of motherhood. Those sleepless nights and the days when baby cried and I didn’t know why nearly made me pull my hair out! Motherhood is not for wimps!

What three events or people have most influenced how you live your life? 1) Rob VanSlyke, my childhood swim coach who was the first adult to take me seriously when I said I wanted to be a novelist. 2) Jesus. 3) The hubster who “gets” me.

What would you tell your younger self? You can’t please everyone. Be polite, but be firm, and decline whatever non-you thing they want you to do or be.

Have you ever met up with a bear on a hike? If so, what did you do? If not, are you looking up what to do right now? I have met up with bears. (I grew up in Alaska.) In fact, I have a vampire novelette coming out soon (it’s still very hush-hush) that includes real-life incidents. (Haha, not the vampire part, that isn’t real! But the grizzly bear and hypothermia incidents are.)

You’re locked in your local library for the night with no dinner. Thank goodness you have water, but you only have enough change to buy one item from the vending machine. Choices are limited to: Fudge Pop-Tarts, Snickers or Doritos. Which would you choose and why? Doritos have no chocolate. Fudge Pop-Tarts don’t have enough chocolate to count. That leaves Snickers, and the nuts are a bonus… because nuts-n-chocolate!

What’s the largest number of people you’ve had in your kitchen at one time? Twelve wonderful, loving people… it was overwhelming! I really should write a horror story about it.:-)

Closing thoughts: Thanks for this chat, Barbara. I enjoyed it!

Website and social media links:
Blog: priscillabettisauthor.com
Twitter: @PriscillaBettis
Amazon author page: Priscilla Bettis

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Who’s That Indie Author? J.Q. Rose

J.Q. Rose

Author Name: J.Q. Rose

Genre: Mystery, Nonfiction, Memoir

Books: Your Words, Your Life Story; Girls Succeed! Stories Behind the Careers of Successful Women; Arranging a Dream: A Memoir; Deadly Undertaking; Dangerous Sanctuary; Terror on Sunshine Boulevard; Quick Tips on Vegetable Gardening

Bio: I’ve always been a writer in my heart, but being a mom and making an income were top priorities. I taught third graders until my husband and I decided to pursue our dream of being entrepreneurs in the floral and greenhouse operation. After we sold the shop, I had time to pursue another dream, writing as we traveled full-time in our fifth-wheel camper. 

What got you started as a writer? My mom. She was my second-grade teacher. When I finished my assignment, I’d visit my classmates. My mother was not happy with me for interrupting them in getting their assignments done. She told me to stay at my desk and write stories. So I did. And I guess I never stopped.

What is your writing routine? I set aside time to write every day after lunch. Sometimes it’s research when necessary. At first, it was difficult to sit down and write instead of finishing the laundry or reading a book. Now, if I have to miss my writing time due to an appointment or a meeting, etc., I resent it.

What route did you take to get your books published? After receiving 22 rejections from publishers, I self-published an eBook on Smashwords. I thought I would pull out all my hair before I accomplished this chore in 2010. For my first mystery, I decided to find a publisher after going through the frustration of self-publishing. I queried one who turned me down. I sent the second query to a startup eBook publisher who accepted the book. The publisher said they “liked my voice.” I’ll never forget that. Now I am a hybrid author with self-published nonfiction books and with mysteries and a memoir published by a traditional publisher.

What things do you do to promote your books? Virtual book/ blog tour, book signings and presentations, social media, an author website for blogging, hosting authors and being a guest at their blogs and podcasts. Plus, I publish a quarterly newsletter.

What is your favorite genre to read and why? Historical fiction to learn about 19^th and 20^th-century history.

Do you prefer to write dialogue or description? I love to write dialogue when the characters banter back and forth.

Have any of your characters ever surprised you? Yes, I thought I was writing a character who was so kind and helpful until it turned out she was a manipulator only looking out for herself. Did this change the plot of your book? Yes, she did. For the best, I might add.

What is the most difficult thing you have accomplished in your life? I haven’t really accomplished the job of being a mother, but it IS the most difficult challenge I’ve ever had and can still be today! I think one is always a mother even if the kid is old enough to collect social security. Grandmothering is so much more fun…

What three events or people have most influenced how you live your life? My Grandmother, Maw, really encouraged me to be a writer. My husband, Ted, has led us on a life of adventure and worldwide experiences. My friend, Bernie, instilled in me to be the best floral designer I could be and a businesswoman of integrity.

What would you tell your younger self? Stop spinning my wheels. Realize there are times when there is nothing I can do about a situation.

Have you ever met up with a bear on a hike? If so, what did you do? If not, are you looking up what to do right now? I have never met a bear on a hike; however, I have been in places with warnings that bears are in the area and read the posted signs that say “do not run.” To follow their advice seems impossible to me. I love to see bears but from the inside of the tour bus. 

You’re locked in your local library for the night with no dinner. Thank goodness you have water, but you only have enough change to buy one item from the vending machine. Choices are limited to: Fudge Pop Tarts, Snickers or Doritos. Which would you choose and why? Snickers! What a treat to have loads of library books to read while munching a Snickers bar!

What’s the largest number of people you’ve had in your kitchen at one time? Actually helping in the kitchen? Probably 3. But sitting at the breakfast counter or standing in the way e.g. in front of the refrigerator? Probably 10.

Closing thoughts: Thank you for the opportunity to be a guest on your series, Who’s That Indie Author? To the readers, thank you for stopping in today. I look forward to reading your comments and answering questions you have about writing. Please, keep in touch via the links below.

Website and social media links: 
Blog: Focused on Story
Facebook: J. Q. Rose, Author
Amazon Author: JQ Rose

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First Novels by Famous Authors

Who’s that man in the picture?

Yesterday I had the idea to make a list of the first novels written by a few famous authors. Once I got started, however, I didn’t know where to stop! And then I went down the rabbit hole of reading about many of the authors’ lives. Some have led troubled and tragic lives (like the Brontë sisters) and some have lived happily well into their 90s. And some are just getting started.

Looking back, it was interesting to see what was being written during the same time frame. I’ve always liked imagining authors together in the same room, like the salons that Gertrude Stein used to host in Paris.

 I have read some of these firsts and the linked titles are ones I’ve reviewed on my blog. The thing is, we don’t always read the firsts, do we?

I decided to limit it to adult novels, so no plays, essays, poetry, short story collections or children’s or young adult books. I tried to mix the literary type writers with popular fiction writers, like James Patterson, John Grisham, Stephen King and others.

19th Century

• Charles Dickens: The Pickwick Papers (1836-37)
• Fyodor Dostoevsky: Poor Folk (1845)
• Emily Brontë: Wuthering Heights (1847) – read in college
• Anne Brontë: Agnes Grey (1847)
• Wilkie Collins: Basil (1851)
• Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary (1857)
• Charlotte Brontë: The Professor (published posthumously 1857)
• Mark Twain: The Innocents Abroad (1869)
• Thomas Hardy: Desperate Remedies (1871)

20th Century

• Edith Wharton: The Valley of Decision (1902)
• P. G. Wodehouse: The Pothunters (1902)
• Eleanor H. Porter: The Turn of the Tide (1908)
• D. H. Lawrence: The White Peacock (1911)
• Virginia Woolf: The Voyage Out (1915)
• Franz Kafka: The Metamorphosis (1915) – read in college
• James Joyce: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916)
• Agatha Christie: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
• F. Scott Fitzgerald: This Side of Paradise (1920)
• Erich Maria Remarque: The Dream Room (1920)
• Aldous Huxley: Crome Yellow (1920)
• Ernest Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises (1926)
• William Faulkner: Soldier’s Pay (1926)
• Margaret Mitchell: Gone with the Wind (1926)
• Graham Greene: The Man Within (1929)
• John Steinbeck: Cup of Gold (1929)
• Daphne du Maurier: The Loving Spirit (1931)
• George Orwell: Burmese Days (1934)
• John O’Hara: Appointment in Samarra (1934)
• Ayn Rand: We the Living (1936)
• J. R. R. Tolkien: The Hobbit (1937) – read in high school
• Jean-Paul Sartre: Nausea (1938)
• Albert Camus: The Stranger (1942) – read in college
• Jack Kerouac: The Sea Is My Brother (1942)
• Truman Capote: Other Voices, Other Rooms (1948)
• Doris Lessing: The Grass Is Singing (1949)
• Isaac Asimov: Pebble in the Sky (1950)
• J. D. Salinger: The Catcher in the Rye (1951)
• Kurt Vonnegut: Player Piano (1952)
• James Baldwin: Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953)
• Leon Uris: Battle Cry (1953)
• Ian Fleming: Casino Royale (1953)
• William S. Burroughs: Junky (1953)
• Philip K. Dick: Solar Lottery/World of Chance (1955)
• Herman Wouk: Marjorie Morningstar (1955) – read in the 90s
• Gabriel García Márquez: Leaf Storm (1955)
• John Updike: The Poorhouse Fair (1958)
• Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)
• Philip Roth: Letting Go (1962)
• Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar (1963, her only novel) – read in my 20s
• Susan Sontag: The Benefactor (1963)
• Anne Tyler: If Morning Ever Comes (1964)
• Cormac McCarthy: The Orchard Keeper (1965)
• Margaret Atwood: The Edible Woman (1969)
• Sidney Sheldon: The Naked Face (1969)
• Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye (1970) – read in the 90s
• Charles Bukowski: Post Office (1971)
• Stephen King: Carrie (1974)
• Salman Rushdie: Grimus (1975)
• Anne Rice: Interview with the Vampire (1976)
• James Patterson: The Thomas Berryman Number (1976)
• Judith Krantz: Scruples (1978)
• Ian McEwan: The Cement Garden (1978)
• Haruki Murakami: Hear We the Wind (1979)
• Marilynne Robinson: Housekeeping (1980)
• Isabel Allende: The House of Spirits (1982)
• Kazuo Ishiguro: A Pale View of Hills (1982)
• Hilary Mantel: Every Day is Mother’s Day (1985)
• Scott Turow: Presumed Innocent (1987)
• David Foster Wallace: The Broom of the System (1987)
• Michael Chabon: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (1988)
• Alan Hollinghurst: The Swimming Pool Library (1988)
• Jonathan Franzen: The Twenty-seventh City (1988)
• W. G. Sebald: After Nature (1988)
• Chris Bohjalian: A Killing in the Real World (1988)
• Amy Tan: The Joy Luck Club (1989) – read in the 90s
• John Grisham: A Time to Kill (1989) – read in the 90s
• Neil Gaiman: Good Omens (1990)
• Harlan Coben: Play Dead (1990)
• Elena Ferrante: Molesto (1992)
• Ann Patchett: The Patron Saint of Liars (1992)
• Michael Connelly: The Black Echo (1992)
• Anne Enright: The Wig My Father Wore (1995)
• Kate Atkinson: Behind the Scenes at the Museum (1995)
• Jennifer Egan: The Invisible Circus (1995)
• George Saunders: CivilWarLand in Bad Decline (1996)
• Elizabeth Strout: Amy and Isabel (1998)
• David Mitchell: Ghostwritten (1999)
• Markus Zusak: The Underdog (1999)
• Colson Whitehead: The Intuitionist (1999)

21st Century

• Zadie Smith: White Teeth (2000)
• Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner (2003) – read in 2003
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Purple Hibiscus (2003)
• Anthony Doerr: About Grace (2004)
• Louise Penny: Still Life (2005)
• Tana French: In the Woods (2007)
• Amor Towles: Rules of Civility (2011)
• Taylor Jenkins Reid: Forever, Interrupted (2013)
• Ruth Ware: In a Dark, Dark Wood (2015)
• Paula Hawkins: The Girl on the Train (2015)
• Sally Rooney: Conversations with Friends (2017)
• Tommy Orange: There There (2018)
• Delia Owens: Where the Crawdads Sing (2019)

Trivia Quiz

What famous author is in the top picture?

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What newer authors will stand the test of time? Are any authors from the 90s to present at the same level as Dickens, the Brontës, Hemingway or Fitzgerald and many others? I think so. Drop some names in the comments!

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!

Share your news on Book Club Mom’s Author Update

Hi Everyone, I had an email incident last week and lost some replies to this post. If you emailed me about being featured and you haven’t heard back, can you email me again? Thank you!

Are you working on a new or your very first book? Have you won an award or a writing contest? Did you just update your website? Maybe you just want to tell readers about an experience you’ve had. Book Club Mom’s Author Update is a great way to share news and information about you and your books.

Email Book Club Mom at bvitelli2009@gmail.com for more information.

Open to all authors – self-published, indie, hybrid and anything in between.

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!

Who’s That Indie Author? Jacqueline Church Simonds

Jacqueline Church Simonds

Author Name: Jacqueline Church Simonds

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Books: The Heirs to Camelot series: The Priestess of Camelot (prequel); The Midsummer Wife (Book 1); The Solstice Bride (Book 2); Mistress of the Rose Moon (Book 3)

Bio: I have been writing for as long as I’ve been able to hold a pencil. Along the way, I have been everything from a lady’s companion, to a salesperson, to a rock band roadie, to a publishing consultant. Somewhere in there, I’ve written six books and ghostwritten an additional seven to eight.

What got you started as a writer? I always told myself stories. One day, my mom suggested I write them down. It took until I was forty to actually write a novel. (I have been a professional editor, so I was always in words.)

What is your writing routine? What’s that? Seriously, I write when/as/if I have time.

What route did you take to get your books published? I self-published my first book, Captain Mary, Buccaneer (I sold all three thousand copies and foreign rights to Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori). For this series, I went with a small press.

What things do you do to promote your books? I’ve done newspaper/radio/TV interviews, podcasts, website interviews and guest hosting, signings at bookstores/libraries/author events, a table at a garage sale, and a local convention.

What is your favorite genre to read and why? I read a lot of sci-fi, but I’ll read anything not nailed down. I post my quick Book Takes on my website.

Do you prefer to write dialogue or description? I often write a lengthy description, then turn it into dialogue because it reads better.

Have any of your characters ever surprised you? Did this change the plot of your book? Ava, the main character of my series, totally surprised me in the first book. In the first draft, I felt she was sort of lifeless. A fellow writer suggested I try writing in first person, so I could “hear” the main character clearly. I discovered Ava suffered from massive anxiety attacks/poor self-esteem/PTSD from a terrible event in her life. Although I went back to third person, it gave me a better handle on how to handle the character.

What is the most difficult thing you have accomplished in your life? I had a brain tumor and recovered almost fully from it. It changes the way you think about time and what you are doing here.

What three events or people have most influenced how you live your life? Going back/finishing college in my thirties. Sitting down and writing that first novel. Recovering from brain tumor.

What would you tell your younger self? Own being a writer. Don’t give up because it’s hard and you’ll get no support. Get jobs writing. Write that big book that’s in your head. WRITE, DAMMIT!

Have you ever met up with a bear on a hike? If so, what did you do? If not, are you looking up what to do right now? I stopped hiking long ago, but the best method for dealing with a bear is: don’t be where there are bears.

You’re locked in your local library for the night with no dinner. Thank goodness you have water, but you only have enough change to buy one item from the vending machine. Choices are limited to: Fudge Pop Tarts, Snickers or Doritos. Which would you choose and why? I almost went with Doritos, but then I’d get that fake nacho dust on my fingers and I wouldn’t want to leave that on the pages. I guess I’d get a Snickers.

What’s the largest number of people you’ve had in your kitchen at one time? Ten? Last family Christmas at my folks’ place before they sold it. My kitchen is pretty quiet—my Hubbers is the cook and hates anyone else in there until he’s done.

Closing thoughts: I’ve been involved in publishing for twenty-two years. I’ve helped other people get their book babies published and launch their dreams. Indie and self-publishing is a great way to get our work out. We need more readers!

Website and social media links:
Website: www.jcsimonds.com
Facebook: @jacquelinechurchsimonds
Twitter: @jcsimonds (Caution: I am VERY political and this is where I vent.)

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Are you an indie or self-published author?  Do you want to build your author network? Get your name out on Who’s That Indie Author!

Email bvitelli2009@gmail.com for a bio template and other details.

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!

Share your news on Book Club Mom’s Author Update

Are you working on a new or your very first book? Have you won an award or a writing contest? Did you just update your website? Maybe you just want to tell readers about an experience you’ve had. Book Club Mom’s Author Update is a great way to share news and information about you and your books.

Email Book Club Mom at bvitelli2009@gmail.com for more information.

Open to all authors – self-published, indie, hybrid and anything in between.

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!

Who’s That Indie Author? W. L. Hawkin

W. L. Hawkin

Author Name: W. L. Hawkin (Wendy)

Genre: blended mystery/suspense/fantasy/romance

Books: Hollystone Mysteries—To Charm a Killer, To Sleep with Stones, To Render a Raven, To Kill a King, and Lure River Romances—Lure: Jesse & Hawk

Bio: W. L. Hawkin writes mysterious romantic adventures from her home on Vancouver Island, Canada. Wendy graduated from Trent University with a BA in Indigenous Studies, then went on to study English literature at SFU in British Columbia, and teach high school. She found her voice publishing poetry and Native Rights articles in Canadian news magazines and is now an Indie author/publisher at Blue Haven Press.

What got you started as a writer? I started writing poetry as a teenager to make sense of my world: “It’s a maze. It’s a haze. It’s a crazy place.” But when I saw Romancing the Stone in the 1980s, I wanted to be a romance novelist. Shortly after that, I wrote the first draft of what has become my latest romantic suspense release (Lure: Jesse & Hawk).

What is your writing routine? I write when the muse is with me and then for as long as my body holds out—some days six hours if I’m on, and other days not at all.

What routes did you take to get your books published? When I first wrote To Charm a Killer, I sent it to a few agents and publishers. I had some interest, but no one wanted to commit to a first-time author who wrote blended genres. It’s hard to sell.  So, I took a chance and published it myself. By that time, I’d finished my fourth book in the Hollystone Mysteries, I’d learned the ropes.

What things do you do to promote your books? I created a solid website and keep it updated. I enter contests and do readings/sales in my local community. Last year, I started working with a publicist who booked me on all kinds of media (TV, radio, podcasts, magazines) so I became comfortable talking about myself and my work (again, not easy for an introvert). I’m now able to approach people like you, Barb, and ask.

What is your favorite genre to read and why? Mystery/suspense is my favourite, no matter what century it’s set, and that’s what I write as well. Sometimes I venture into fantasy and action/adventure. I’m a regular reviewer with the Ottawa Review of Books so receive excellent ARCs from Canadian publishers.

Do you prefer to write dialogue or description? I don’t have a preference and you need to balance both in a scene to make it dynamic.

Have any of your characters ever surprised you? Did this change the plot of your book? Absolutely, and often. Once I connect with my characters, I meditate to get into an almost trance-like space where I can see and hear what’s happening. I’ve had reviewers say my writer is “cinematic” and I think that’s why. In To Sleep with Stones, one of the characters died in a very dramatic scene and I had no idea that was going to happen. I wrote that sequence in tears, and I think that raw emotion comes through to the reader.

What is the most difficult thing you have accomplished in your life? I quit high school in grade ten. In my mid-thirties, I was compelled to finish. One of the courses was Native Ancestry 11, and I had such an epiphany with that content, I wanted to go on and take university courses in Indigenous Studies. Coincidentally, I wrote the first draft of Lure: Jesse & Hawk, my latest release during that time. My ex-husband didn’t support me, so I left my marriage and completed my B.A. as a single mother going part-time to university courses for years. That was a challenging time, but also a healing time for me.

What three events or people have most influenced how you live your life? One: reading The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell in 1990 blew open my world and taught me to follow my “bliss.” Two: leaving my marriage and taking my young daughter taught me many things about living in this world. Three: graduating from university and getting my first paying gig as a teacher gave me financial independence and a sense of moral/ethical living in a community.

What would you tell your younger self? Borrowing from my mentor, Joseph Campbell, I’d say follow your passion, your bliss, and doors will open for you. Bundle up your problems and leave them outside, then walk through that door carrying a sense of curiosity, wonder, and hope.

Have you ever met up with a bear on a hike? If so, what did you do? If not, are you looking up what to do right now? I sure have! I live in the Pacific Northwest on bear territory so regularly see them. Remember that you’re a guest on their land, back up slowly, and give them the right of way. Hawk meets up with a bear in Lure, and unfortunately, he’s unable to back up and walk away, but that’s another story.

You’re locked in your local library for the night with no dinner. Thank goodness you have water, but you only have enough change to buy one item from the vending machine. Choices are limited to: Fudge Pop Tarts, Snickers or Doritos. Which would you choose and why? Doritos by default, despite the crumbs. I can’t eat gluten or cow dairy so until they start making junk food gluten free, and chocolate out of water buffalo milk and/or pure cocoa butter, I’ll stick to my corn chips.

What’s the largest number of people you’ve had in your kitchen at one time? In my whole lifetime? Probably a dozen at my parent’s wedding anniversary.

Website and social media links:
Website: Blue Haven Press
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/wlhawkin

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Are you an indie or self-published author?  Do you want to build your author network? Get your name out on Who’s That Indie Author!

Email bvitelli2009@gmail.com for a bio template and other details.

Book Club Mom’s Author Update: News from Darlene Foster

Darlene Foster

Author name: Darlene Foster

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure/Travel

Books: Amanda Travels Series

News: Book #9, in the Amanda Travels series is soon to be released. This time we find Amanda Ross in Paris, France.  She’s in awe of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. While there, she gets to work as a volunteer and stay in a famous book store, along with her bestie Leah and Leah’s eccentric Aunt Jenny. A dream come true for a book lover like Amanda.

But things are happening that may ruin her trip to this amazing city. While she’s at the Paris Opera House there is a bomb threat. Then the lights go out during their visit to the Louvre. Worst of all, a devastating fire blazes in Notre Dame. Why does a mysterious man, who claims to be a busker, writer and artist, show up every time something bad happens?

Amanda explores the exciting streets of Paris, the fabulous Palace of Versailles and the gardens of the painter Claude Monet, all the time looking for clues as to who would want to destroy such a beautiful, historic cathedral. She questions her courage and begins to wonder if it is getting too dangerous to travel.

An early review:

Amanda thinks she’s in for a relaxing holiday in the world’s most loved city, but instead she’s drawn into the danger and mystery surrounding the destructive fire of Notre Dame.” Gina McMurchy-Barber Author of The Jigsaw Puzzle King (Winner of the 2021 Silver Birch Awards)

Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral will be released on September 13^th, 2022.

Check out all the Amanda Travels books:

• Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask
• Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting
• Amanda in England: The Missing Novel
• Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone
• Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music
• Amanda in New Mexico: Ghosts in the Wind
• Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action
• Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady
• Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral

Website/blog link:  https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/

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Are you working on a new book? Have you won an award or a writing contest? Did you just update your website? Maybe you just want to tell readers about an experience you’ve had. Book Club Mom’s Author Update is a great way to share news and information about you and your books.

Email Book Club Mom at bvitelli2009@gmail.com for more information.

Open to all authors – self-published, indie, big-time and anything in between

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!

Who’s That Indie Author? Leon Stevens

Author Name: Leon Stevens

Genre: Poetry and Science Fiction

Books: Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures, A Wonder of Words, The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories, The View from Here, Journeys: Eight Original Pieces for Classical Guitar

Bio: I am a Canadian multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and artist with a Bachelor of Music and Education.

What got you started as a writer? I became a writer out of necessity. Along with songwriting, poetry was therapeutic and allowed me to accept and make sense of events and situations in my life. I decided that what I wrote could help and entertain others, so I decided to publish my first book of poetry.

What is your writing routine? I don’t have a set routine. However, most of my blog posts are written in the morning, so often, I’ll write a few things down after that. I’m a slow writer and will often write when inspiration strikes. I do try to write each day.

What route did you take to get your books published? I made a mistake that many new authors have made and used a vanity press to publish. I had no idea what to do, so it seemed to be the quickest and easiest way. They did provide a lot of invaluable publishing and marketing information and took care of the distribution. All my other books have been through KDP.

What things do you do to promote your books? Like most indie authors, money is a concern. Advertising costs vary greatly, and it’s a lot of work and research to decide where the investment will be the most effective. I also use BookFunnel and StoryOrigin to connect with other authors to promote to their readership. I have been interviewing authors as well, which is a great way to not only help promote their work but to introduce mine to others.

What is your favorite genre to read and why? I try to read a variety of genres, but I am very picky, so many books get left unfinished. Science fiction and historical fiction is what I prefer.

Do you prefer to write dialogue or description? I used to struggle with dialogue. Often, if I am getting stuck with descriptions, I’ll just write dialogue to get things moving. Also, I’m not one for writing lengthy descriptions, which is probably why when I set out to write my first novel, it wound up being a novella.

Have any of your characters ever surprised you? Did this change the plot of your book?
Nah. They’re pretty open to dealing with the situations I put them in. I haven’t heard any complaints. Yet.

What is the most difficult thing you have accomplished in your life?  Probably getting my degrees. 

What events or people have most influenced how you live your life? I think my father has had the most influence. He was the one who instilled the love of science fiction in me at a young age. He is such a hard worker, and I’ve never seen him get mad or complain. When people say, “You’re just like your dad.” I know I’m doing something right.

What would you tell your younger self? Funny you should ask. In my latest poetry book, I wrote about just that.

What I Want to be When I’m Young

I want to listen more. To the people who know better. To the people who say, “Don’t make the same mistakes that I did.” Learning from mistakes? Sure, we do have to make errors in life sometimes, but what’s wrong with looking up how to spell a word or use spell-check…? Nothing.

I want to set goals. Obtainable ones. Despite what people say, you can’t be anything you want to be. That’s a lie. There are some things that you just won’t be able to do. Although, by trying and failing, you will find out what you are good at.

I want to be a better student. I didn’t try my best. I think that I needed glasses. I didn’t understand the importance of learning—the importance of wanting to learn.

I want to not be a quitter. Piano, guitar, sports. I should have tried harder. Much harder.

I want to save 10% of all my earnings. I shudder to do the calculations. I never made a lot, but my father-in-law always said that compound interest was the eighth wonder of the world. He was right.

I want to be brave. Not reckless, just not so afraid.

I want to stay awake so that I can see Halley’s comet.

Have you ever met up with a bear on a hike? If so, what did you do? If not, are you looking up what to do right now? I have. Sort of. We could hear the bear just around the corner. There was a tree moving, so it was probably scratching it. We turned around and headed back to the tent. The next day we successfully completed the hike with no encounters. Except for the angry squirrel.

You’re locked in your local library for the night with no dinner. Thank goodness you have water, but you only have enough change to buy one item from the vending machine. Choices are limited to: Fudge Pop Tarts, Snickers or Doritos. Which would you choose and why? No contest. Snickers. It’s a delicious meal. But those Doritos are looking pretty tasty. Just my luck, whatever I buy will get stuck.

What’s the largest number of people you’ve had in your kitchen at one time? Interesting question. Had I known I’d be asked this later in my life, I might have kept a record. It’s funny how people gravitate to kitchens during get-togethers. Closer to the food and beer I suppose.

Closing thoughts: Thank you for having me here. Any opportunity to get the word out about my books is appreciated.  

Website and social media links: I have recently discovered linktree, so all my links can be found in one handy place: https://linktr.ee/leonstevens

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Who’s That Indie Author? Mark Paxson

Author Name: Mark Paxson

Genre: Primarily literary, but a little bit of everything, including a legal drama (my first novel), and a domestic thriller (my current WIP)

Books: One Night in Bridgeport; Shady Acres and Other Stories; The Marfa Lights and Other Stories; Deviation; The Irrepairable Past; and The Dime

Bio: A semi-retired government attorney, I live in California. Two adult sons, two dogs, a wife, and a whole bunch of interests like painting, writing, cycling, hiking, gardening, cooking and baking that keep me motivated to keep exploring.

What got you started as a writer? I’ve always been a voracious reader but didn’t believe I could write, although I spent years imagining writing a novel. One day, almost 20 years ago, I outlined a story in my head on my drive home and I’ve been writing ever since.

What is your writing routine? I have a bit of a block that has lasted for a number of years and I allow all of life’s distractions to deprive me of a writing routine. But … these days, I write when I can and am making a little bit of headway. Typically Saturday or Sunday afternoons when I’m simply worn out by all of the distractions.

What route did you take to get published? With my first novel, I tried a little bit to get an agent. Without success there, I turned to what was then CreateSpace to publish a paperback and used KDP to publish the eBook. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since. With my last novel, The Dime, I tried again to get an agent without any success. I apparently don’t know the secret handshake.

What things do you do to promote your books? I have two blogs that I use to share news about my writing and publishing. I also use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook but not relentlessly like some authors. When I publish something, I post and tweet about it. And occasionally when I get a good review, I’ll use that to remind people that I’ve got books out there. I also try some of the promo sites, but have found almost no success with them lately.

What is your favorite genre to read and why? This may be the most difficult question to answer. I’ll read anything. The books that have the most meaning to me are the ones that make me feel something deeply. I’m not ashamed to cry while I’m reading.

Do you prefer to write dialogue or description? Dialogue. I’m not a fan of a lot of description when I’m reading and I think that comes across in my writing as well. I want to leave things to the reader’s imagination and just tell the story. If the description isn’t relevant to the story, I try to avoid it.

Have any of your characters ever surprised you? Did this change the plot of your book? I’m a pantser so I’d have to say that my characters don’t surprise me. I generally start with an idea, a concept, and then I start writing. The entire thing is somewhat of a surprise for me as a result, which is what helps me write. It’s when I figure out the “rest of the story” when the block settles in because the surprises are over.

What is the most difficult thing you have accomplished in your life? Raising two boys to adulthood. Nothing else compares.

What three events or people have most influenced how you live your life? I can’t deny the influence my parents had. My dad was (still is at the age of 89) a writer. My parents gifted to me a love of reading and my mom has always been one of the biggest fans of my writing. And then there is the birth of those two boys—two little munchkins who changed my life forever.

What would you tell your younger self? Be bolder, don’t be so scared.

Have you ever met up with a bear on a hike? If so, what did you do? If not, are you looking up what to do right now? Great question. No and I hope I never do. Where I hike, I’m more concerned with mountain lions. All I know is “make yourself as large as possible!”

You’re locked in your local library for the night with no dinner. Thank goodness you have water, but you only have enough change to buy one item from the vending machine. Choices are limited to Fudge Pop Tarts, Snickers or Doritos. Which would you choose and why? Totally a Snickers. Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts are the only ones worth eating. Doritos are meh. Snickers has everything that makes a candy bar a candy bar.

What’s the largest number of people you’ve had in your kitchen at one time? Probably around 10-12. I make pizza and occasionally have pizza parties. Instead of hanging out elsewhere, most of the attendees like to hang out in the kitchen while I make the pizza.

Closing thoughts: Thanks for giving me this opportunity to share my writing. I’m a big fan of indie writers and think we need to do everything we can to support each other.

Website and social media links:
Blog: kingmidgetramblings.wordpress.com
Website: markpaxson.com
Writers group: writerssupportingwriters.com
Twitter: @mkpaxson

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Are you an indie or self-published author?  Do you want to build your author network? Get your name out on Who’s That Indie Author!

Email bvitelli2009@gmail.com for a bio template and other details.