Guest Author Interviews

D.L. Stalter

Author Interview Form
Tell us your name and where you’re from.
 I’m D.L. Stalter and I’m from a farm north of a small town in Illinois. I can usually be found in the barn.
What led to your decision to become an author?
 I had a story to tell which then led to another story… and another…
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and what you’ve written in the past. While my past books are either middle grade or young adult, I am currently working on a post-apocalyptic novel. After that, I have another young adult which will be my third in the series.
What are some of your strongest points as a writer, and what if anything are you constantly working to improve upon?
 My strongest point might be my imagination. I also think I am pretty witty (as long as I am writing – if I try to be witty in conversation, it usually ends up being sarcastic). I am constantly trying to improve on all of my writing skills. I’m a work in process.
Are you self published, traditionally published or both? Why did you choose to go that route? I first chose to self-publish because I didn’t want to spend time searching for an agent. I wanted to write more books. After talking with others who had gone the traditional route, I also knew that I wanted more control over my book(s) than a traditional publisher would give me. The only drawback I see to self publishing is marketing. I’m a writer, not a marketer.
What format are your books available in? Which of these formats do you prefer and why? My books are available from Amazon in both eBook format and in paperback. The second book is available in other online bookstores including Barnes and Noble and iTunes.
How do you go about marketing your books?
 Until now, I haven’t done any marketing. I recently created an author’s website and an author’s Facebook page. I will learn more about marketing as I go.
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a review, and how do you handle it? Not yet. So far, almost all of my reviews on Amazon have been five star. There might be a 4 star in there. When it comes, I can only hope that the reviewer mentions what they didn’t like about the book so that I can learn from it.
What are your favorite genres to both read and write? I like to read thrillers and mysteries. Aw heck, I like to read anything and everything. I like to write young adult mystery, but give me a prompt and I’ll give you a story.
What authors have influenced or inspired you?
 James Patterson, John Sanford, Stephen King, Dr. Seuss for starters.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing? If I’m not spending time with my horse, I’m usually writing or thinking about what comes next in my writing. Sometimes I take a time-out and watch a movie.
What software do you use for your writing? Did you try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using? I’ve always used MS Word. For my last book, I used Scrivener to outline it and then MS Word to write it. For my current book, I am writing it in Scrivener. I think it helps me stay on track.
What is it that you like about the software you’re currently using that makes it the best solution for you?
 Scrivener is great for outlining. I have recently started using it to write the actual book and am finding that it has many features that help me keep on track. I wish I’d found it a long time ago.
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to your fellow authors? Don’t give up. If you are a fledgling, it’s so easy to put off writing because you simply aren’t sure what to write for the day. It’s easy to put it off until tomorrow, then the day after, and the day after that. Put your butt in the chair every day – even if just for 15 minutes. Even if the only thing you write is “I don’t know what to write today.” Just write.
Where can people find out more about you and your books? http://www.dlstalter.com
https://www.facebook.com/dlstalter

 

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Kira R. Tregoning

Author Interview Form
Tell us your name and where you’re from.:
 Kira R. Tregoning. Born and raised in Maryland.
What led to your decision to become an author?:
 I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. It seemed
like a natural progression. And I had people who wanted to read what I
wrote, so I eventually decided to take the leap.
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and
what you’ve written in the past.: 		Right now I’m working on a fantasy novel unrelated to the
series I’ve already published. It’s sort of a comedy of errors and is
turning out to be a lot of fun. I’m also working on the third book of
my Aligerai series and another novel set in the same universe as the
Aligerai. I hope to have at least one of those finished by the end of
this year.
Are you self published, traditionally published or
both? Why did you choose to go that route?: 		Self-published at the moment, although I wouldn’t mind being
a hybrid author and going both traditional and indie. But I chose
self-pub because I felt my series didn’t really fit in a category very
well and so wouldn’t get attention from agents or editors. Plus, the
returns are better for self-pub when you’re putting in the same amount
of work as traditional authors in the marketing and so forth.
What format are your books available in? Which of
these formats do you prefer and why?: 		Only e-book right now, though I’m working on getting cover
art nailed down so I can put the first two books in paperback later
this year. I generally prefer paperback because I like the feel of
holding a book in my hands. And when I’m on Metro or traveling, people
are less likely to steal a book than an iPad or phone, so a book makes
more sense (and costs less to replace!).
How do you go about marketing your books?:
 Social media, reviews, blogs, Goodreads, and face-to-face
talks. I’ve gotten far more interest and return when I talk to people
in person about my book than I have from anything I’ve done
online.
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a
re view, and how do you handle it?: 		Yes. Actually, there’s one sitting on Amazon right now.
Though I’m not sure that person actually read my book . . . but it is
what it is. I don’t usually let bad reviews or negative comments
affect me. If someone doesn’t like my work, that’s fine. I’m not going
to stop writing because of harsh criticism. Constructive criticism I
will listen to and learn from, but I don’t let anything over the top
bother me.
What are your favorite genres to both read and
write?: 		Fantasy, though I also like to read historical fiction and
sometimes sci-fi. I’m also a big fan of the classics and
mythology.
What authors have influenced or inspired you?:
 Tamora Pierce, Anne Bishop, Mercedes Lackey, Rowling, and
many more.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re
not writing?: 		I like going to the movies. I also see my friends a lot and
do things with them. I also read.
What software do you use for your writing? Did you
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
 I mostly use Word or Scrivener. If I’m not typing a story,
then I’m writing by hand in one of my writing notebooks. I’m on my
third notebook now–I write small–and should be onto the fourth one
soon.
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to
your fellow authors?: 		Don’t give up. It’s a hard world out there for authors of all
kinds. Just don’t give up.
Where can people find out more about you and your
books?: 		My main website is http://theworldofcora.wordpress.com. My
Amazon page is
http://www.amazon.com/Kira-R.-Tregoning/e/B00ANY4K86/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1.

 

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Katherine A. Nevitt

 

Author Interview Form
Tell us your name and where you’re from.:
 My name is Katherine A. Nevitt and I was born in Derby,
England.
What led to your decision to become an author?:
 I have been writing ever since I could use a pen and one day
I finally just decided to show my work to the world.
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and
what you’ve written in the past.: 		The first book I wrote was a fantasy book called Ironblood.
Since then I have written four romance stories. Currently I am working
on Ironblood book two and can’t wait to share it!
What are some of your strongest points as a writer,
and what if anything are you constantly working to improve upon?:
 I believe I have a knack for keeping a good pace in a story.
As a writer I believe that there are always ways we can improve our
work whether we believe we’re amazingly talented or need to try
harder.
Are you self published, traditionally published or
both? Why did you choose to go that route?: 		I am self published for the simple reason that I wasn’t sure
whether I was any good and just wanted to dip my toe in. I am now
looking at other options but will definitely continue to self
publish.
What format are your books available in? Which of
these formats do you prefer and why?: 		Currently my books are only in Kindle Ebook form but I am
looking into paper and hard back books too!
How do you go about marketing your books?:
 I simply use Facebook and other social media sites as well as
word of mouth and putting my book in the sight of everyone that I
can.
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a
review, and how do you handle it?: 		Never with my books but with other things. The way to handle
criticism is to take it in and try to better yourself from it instead
of letting it get you down. Never stop writing or you’ll lose
yourself.
What are your favorite genres to both read and
write?: 		My favorite genres have got to be fantasy and romance with a
little mystery mixed in!
What authors have influenced or inspired you?:
 I am influenced by many authors both celebrity and amateur. I
am definitely inspired by the likes of Cassandra Clare and E. L.
James.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re
not writing?: 		I enjoy reading and spending time with my friends as well as
working with animals and watching popular TV series.
What software do you use for your writing? Did you
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
 I’ve always used Microsoft Word. I must say I’m not the
brightest spark when it comes to technology.
What is it that you like about the software you’re
currently using that makes it the best solution for you?:
 Its easy to use and the best for the format on the website
that I self publish on.
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to
your fellow authors?: 		Write, write and keep writing no matter what.
Where can people find out more about you and your
books?: 		People can find out more about my books on Amazon as well as
my author Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/KatherineANevitt

 

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K. Thomas Olsen

Author Interview Form
Tell us your name and where you’re from.:
 K. Thomas Olsen, from Bountiful, Utah
What led to your decision to become an author?:
 I have always had an imaginative mind and I would often
develop stories. Originally I wanted to work in film and, being
arrogant at the time, ignored advice from people who came to my
college course and advised against it. Eventually it became too
complex and the stories I wanted to tell would never come to fruition the screen.

And so, I decided to take my stories to paper. Discovering I could do
so much more I made it a point to write my dream projects in story
format. It is so much easier and gives so much more freedom. While I
may never get multimillion dollar titles, it is still my ambition to
share with the world.
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and
what you’ve written in the past.: 		I am currently working on Dinoworld, a series nearly twenty
years in the making. The stories have matured as I have grown older
and my skill level is now what I believe to be sufficient for writing
my dream novels.

In the past I have not published anything beyond a school writing
contest so this is still new for me.
What are some of your strongest points as a writer,
and what if anything are you constantly working to improve upon?:
 My strong points as a writer would probably be my ability to
describe in words how I see a particular scene play out in my head. I
love visualizing my characters, often sketching the key players and
developing who they are before putting it on paper.

My weakness? I would have to say stubbornness with some scenes. I
listen to music and play out certain scenes as if they were in a movie
but when it comes to writing I often get so set that the story flow is
altered from what I imagine. As much as I want to describe it just
as I imagine for the sake of the story it must change.
Are you self published, traditionally published or
both? Why did you choose to go that route?: 		I am a self published author. I chose this over traditional
publishing due to budget mostly. Every single publishing company I
have looked at is either new and my stories will not fit or the
stories have to be sent through a professional editor, which will cost
hundreds of dollars. Then, due to the nature of my stories, clip art
would not do so I would have to pay hundreds more for a cover. In
short, it was just more efficient to do it all myself.
What format are your books available in? Which of
these formats do you prefer and why?: 		My books are availabl3 in all sorts of digital format. I do
not have much experience with all of them but .mobi format is great
from my experience and for those without a tablet the .pdf is great
for reading on the computer.
How do you go about marketing your books?:
 Generally I go through word of mouth and through Facebook.
Not much luck so far but it is still early.
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a
review, and how do you handle it?: 		I have yet to receive harsh criticism in a book review but
several have come from my YouTube videos. But I have yet to find one
harsh review that would not be considered spam. Reviews should be
viewed as learning experiences for authors, letting them know what the
public at large thinks and how they can improve.
What are your favorite genres to both read and
write?: 		I love creature stories and action/adventure, both to read
and write. I also can never seem to resist a good ocean faring story
despite only visiting the ocean once in my lifetime.
What authors have influenced or inspired you?:
 Michael Crichton was a big inspiration, not the least of
which being he wrote Jurassic Park. I have also been inspired by
Michael Stackapole, James Gurney, RL Stine and Marc Cerasini. All of
these have added to or created worlds that I enjoyed as a child and
set my imagination forward.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re
not writing?: 		In my down time I enjoy hiking and being outdoors. I have a
fondness for prehistoric creatures which is made evident by my
writing. I also love to sit back with a good book or turn the lights
low and watch a movie.
What software do you use for your writing? Did you
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
 I use Microsoft Word for publishing. The features are great
and easy for me to figure out. Others have been simpler or more
complex, but I like to feel I have control over my documents.
What is it that you like about the software you’re
currently using that makes it the best solution for you?:
 I love being able to see what it will look like as I write
it, using the various font features and the styles I see fit.
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to
your fellow authors?: 		Never stop writing. I have had people, even my own parents,
tell me to just go about it as a hobby and to focus on more productive
developments. Do it because you want to and don’t let anyone, even
yourself, stand in your way.
Where can people find out more about you and your
books?: 		http://www.facebook.com/keitholsendinoworld
http://dinoworld.freeforums.net

 

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Max Maryan

Author Interview Form
Tell us your name and where you’re from.:
 Max Maryan. There are a number of countries that I can call
“from”. Am Ukrainian born, New York raised, England educated and
Brazilian married, currently residing in New York.
What led to your decision to become an author?:
 I have been reading in a few languages since I have learned
to read. Over the years quite a few ideas accumulated in my head. One
day my father challenged me to put something on paper.
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and
what you’ve written in the past.: 		Having finished my first sci-fi novel which I plan on
continuing as series I am now working on a sport fiction novel about
World Cup 2018.
Are you self published, traditionally published or
both? Why did you choose to go that route?: 		After receiving a few rejections from some agents I decided
to go on my own in electronic format only.
What format are your books available in? Which of
these formats do you prefer and why?: 		” Coerced Assassin” is available in all digital formats,
although .epub is my favorite.
How do you go about marketing your books?:
 Sales, Goodreads, Smashwords and of course Facebook.
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a
review, and how do you handle it?: 		At this point I would kill for any criticism or any review at
all.
What are your favorite genres to both read and
write?: 		Fiction, Science Fiction, Comedy.
What authors have influenced or inspired you?:
 The master of Fantasy, Tolkien. Jim Butcher as of late.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re
not writing?: 		Soccer is my other passion. Watching and playing. Electronics
are my other passion.
What software do you use for your writing? Did you
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
 Various Android office suites. MSOffice for
proofreading.
What is it that you like about the software you’re
currently using that makes it the best solution for you?:
 Mobility. Being that my daily commute takes up more than 3
hours a day, being able to type on my Tablet is extremely
convenient.
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to
your fellow authors?: 		At this point I’d rather get some of it.
Where can people find out more about you and your
books?: 		Amazon or Smashwords. My website maxmaryan.com is almost
fully up and running and of course I can be found on Facebook and
Twitter.

 

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Kate O’Hara

Author Interview Form
Tell us your name and where you’re from.:
 Kate O’Hara from the dead center of the lower 48 states.
Emphasis on the word dead.
What led to your decision to become an author?:
 I like to reinvent myself every 10 years or so. This is the
new me I chose for this decade.
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and
what you’ve written in the past.: 		I have one short ebook published – The Dystemporal Reporter.
It will eventually be incorporated into a series called Tapestries.
The books are designed to be a biography told in short first-person
narratives with collections representing time spans. The series uses
the oral story-telling traditions to weave the tale of a life.
What are some of your strongest points as a writer,
and what if anything are you constantly working to improve upon?:
 My strongest point is probably evocative language skill. I’m
a poet disguised as a reporter. I am stretching my styles and genres
to create this series, so am learning to write romance instead of just
report it.
Are you self published, traditionally published or
both? Why did you choose to go that route?: 		First item is on Amazon. It seemed like a relatively painless
way to get past the publishing block and move on.
What format are your books available in? Which of
these formats do you prefer and why?: 		For now, Kindle only. Eventually when the collections are
published, I expect to also make them available in paper format for
those who prefer the feel of a book.
How do you go about marketing your books?:
 I haven’t yet.
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a
re view, and how do you handle it?: 		Not yet (first book just published). Four 5* reviews so
far.
What are your favorite genres to both read and
write?: 		Prefer to read crime now, but have a huge collection of
classic Sci-fi collected over a half-century. I write or have written
everything over the years as a freelancer. The Tapestries collections
will use memoir, romance, paranormal and outright heaven/hell battles
as the story progresses through the decades. It will always be
“informational” because I can’t help still being an investigational
reporter in my writing.
What authors have influenced or inspired you?:
 All of them – for better or worse.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re
not writing?: 		Reading, teaching, movies…. the usual stuff.
What software do you use for your writing? Did you
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
 MS Word. Have been using it since its first release in 1983
for DOS. I also use Acrobat and have experience with many others, but
Word has always been my favorite.
What is it that you like about the software you’re
currently using that makes it the best solution for you?:
 Familiarity
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to
your fellow authors?: 		Write! Let it out so the spark of inspiration can keep the
fires of creativity banked.
Where can people find out more about you and your
books?: 		Amazon or my new website http://www.kateoharabooks.com

 

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Duane L. Martin