Tuesday, May 30, 2017

HBS Author’s Spotlight – Class of May 2017

This month we have a group of interesting writers with worlds of knowledge and expertise. The author interviews are a MUST read.

Be sure to check out what they have coming next for their readers. I try to pick authors who are interesting studies and ask them unique questions for our Q/A section.

Check out the Showcase feature of the HBS Author's Spotlight. I have included those authors in this class. Also, we have added the Author Bundles we have posted this month.

Thanks to the following outstanding authors for a great month. Here is a summary of our May 2017 crew.


Chris Birdy
Author: Chris Birdy

Author Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Fiction

Author's Blog: Chris Birdy
Website: Chris Birdy .com
Twitter: @CHRISBIRDY1
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
For almost twenty-five years, I did investigative work for small law firms conducting business in rough housing projects and crack house neighborhoods. I met with clients in every jail in the area even the now defunct Charles Street Jail and Deer Island House of Corrections. On good days, I got to take the .25 caliber handgun out of my pocket and the 9mm out of my purse and go to court. Then the real show began!

Several years ago, while sitting in a courtroom with a client, I watched as a police officer was lambasted by an attorney. The attorney was defending a young woman who crashed her car into two other vehicles before she passed out drunk behind the wheel. The occupants of the other cars were seriously hurt and the cop, a former EMT, tried to assist the injured while waiting for ambulances to arrive. The attorney questioned the cop's every move, shredded his testimony and made him seem inept.

Embarrassed, the cop returned to his seat beside me and muttered, "Everybody lies. The judges lie, the lawyers lie, the witnesses lie.." I wanted to tell him not to worry that in about five years he'd be just as good a liar as they were.

The seeds for The Girl in White Pajamas were planted in that courtroom.



Interview Excerpt

Next: The next book I have coming out is is entitled The Shameless Bastard. The story begins in Tehran, Iran in 1969 and moves on to the present day. If follows the lives of the American and Iranian principals and comes together in Palm Beach, Florida where Bogie McGruder lives with his family.

Social media: I have many people I interact with on Twitter and Facebook. It's been a slow process that's been going on for years. Some of my friends on Facebook are people I tweet. One builds on the other.

Book trailers: The trailers are a good means of advertising. I used DGT Productions for the trailers. Dee Thomas does an excellent job. The trailers are a 1 minute snapshot of the story. It gives a potential reader a glimpse of the story and its tone. If someone is interested in the trailer, they'll buy the book or listen to it.

Audio books: As with all merchandising, one thing feeds off the other. People who normally don't have the time to read are more likely to listen to the books on their i-pod or in their car.

Giveaways: I've given many books away. Giveaways are great as long as the writer understands that people do not feel obligated to write a review because you gave them a book. They also don't believe they must give you a positive review. It's a real crap shoot.

I have a readers' list of people who sign up for my newsletter. Being on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads are also forms of advertising.

Reviews: I've requested reviews from other writers. Some are very generous with their time, others not so much. I've been part of online promotional book tours which were very successful. I'm always requesting reviews from people without hitting them over the head with my book. For all my asking and cajoling, I get about a 10% response for reviews.

Author's Book List
The Girl in Red Pajamas
The Girl in Black Pajamas
The Girl in White Pajamas


For the rest of the story...View Chris Birdy - HBS Author's Spotlight

Susan Breen
Author: Susan Breen

Author Genre: Mystery

Author's Blog: Miss Demeanors
Website: Susan Breen
Twitter: @SusanjBreen
E-Mail: susan@susanjbreen.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Her first mystery novel, MAGGIE DOVE, was published on June 14, 2016. It's a story about a Sunday School teacher who turns to detecting when her most troublesome (and favorite) student, now a grown man, is accused of murder.

Maggie Dove's Detective Agency was published on Nov. 8, 2016.

Her short stories have been published widely, most recently in the 2009 issue of BEST AMERICAN NON-REQUIRED READING and the Jan. 2011 issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

She teaches fiction-writing and novel-writing at Gotham Writers' Workshop in Manhattan. She writes for THE WRITER and WRITER'S DIGEST magazine.

Susan's a workshop leader at the New York Pitch Conference.

She loves reading mysteries, which was part of what prompted her to write her novel. Some of her favorite mystery writers are Agatha Christie, Louise Penny, Kate Atkinson, PD James and many, many, many more.

She lives in a small village in the Hudson Valley with her husband, two dogs (cockapoos) and one cat. Her three children are flourishing elsewhere.



Interview Excerpt

Next: I have a Maggie Dove short story coming out in the July 2017 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Magazine. It's a bit of a departure for Maggie because it brings her into contact with both assassins and a feral cat.

Social media: I have a lot of fun with twitter. I must naturally think in 140 character bursts because I always have something to say. I've found it a great way to connect with writers and readers and interesting people.

ebooks: What I love about the e book is that it's so flexible. If I'm standing on line, I can just go to my kindle app on my phone and I have something to read. Sometimes I look at my little kindle and amazed at all it contains. The problem with it is that it makes it difficult to do bookstore readings because there is no tangible thing to sell. But I do have fabulous bookmarks that I like to give to my readers.

Personal appearances: I'm often on panels and doing speaking appearances. The best way to keep track of what I'm up to is to follow me on twitter.

Short stories: I started off as a reporter (for Fortune Magazine) and then I began writing short stories. It felt like a more manageable transition than to jump right into novels.

Getting reviews: With both my mysteries I've gone on blog book tours, and that was very useful in terms of getting reviews. Then I query the big reviewers. Most have been kind enough to respond.

Author's Book List
Maggie Dove's Detective Agency
Maggie Dove
The Fiction Class


For the rest of the story...View Susan Breen - HBS Author's Spotlight

P.J. Fiala
Author: P.J. Fiala

Author Genre: Romance

Author's Blog: PJ Fiala
Website: PJ Fiala
Twitter: @pfiala
E-Mail: pjfiala@pjfiala.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
I am a wife of thirty years, a mother of four grown children and the grandmother of four lovely grandchildren. When not writing a new story, I can be found riding my motorcycle and exploring this fabulous country of ours. My writing revolves around people anyone would love to spend time with. No self-absorbed billionaires for me.

Earning my Bachelor's Degree later in life fulfilled a dream for me. Then, I found the courage to write and I haven't looked back. I have several published books and continue to write daily. I have served as the VP of Communications for WisRWA and devote a large amount of my time to helping other authors slog their way through this thing called publishing. I love to hear from fans, so look me up and touch base.

I come from a family of veterans. My grandfather, father, brother, two of my sons, and one daughter-in-law are all veterans. Needless to say, I am proud to be an American and proud of the service my amazing family has given.



Interview Excerpt

Next: My next book is Securing Kiera’s Love. SKL is the second book in the Second Chances series and is about David Haggerty and Kiera Donnelly and as the series name suggests, is a “second chance love story”.

Social media: I’ve worked very hard to build my following on all platforms... it’s almost been a full time job. But, the single most important key to anything is consistency. I post regularly and by regularly I mean every day.

Personal appearances: I’ll be in Deadwood SD next – June 10th for Wild Deadwood Reads. I’m looking forward to it because I love Deadwood and my husband and I are bringing our motorcycles and extending our trip out there so we can ride during the week.

Covers: I have two cover designers, Kim Killion and Designs by Dana who do my covers. I usually begin with a picture that reminds me of my couple and tell my designers what the background should be based on the story. Then, they will do mock ups and from there, I will suggest or ask for changes if any until we have a perfect final produc

Sapphire Falls Kindle World: I was honored to be included. (creation of Erin Nicholas) The word length for We’re Going to Make It and all of the Sapphire Falls books was determined by Kindle so we had to stay within a word count. I’m sure Kindle has studies and knows what readers are gravitating too these days. As a general rule, my stories are longer and it was a challenge to write and wrap up a story in only 30,000 words, but in the end the story came out great.

Free books: It’s difficult to stand out in todays world. There are many, many writers and I feel like a drop in the ocean. So, my first book in the Rolling Thunder series, is currently free.

Reader list: I mainly use my newsletters and cross promotions with other authors to build my list. That and readers will meet me and decide to follow me or like my books and decide to follow me. That’s why I blog regularly and keep my website current and active. I think it’s so important.

Blog: Ugh, the time – all I can say is I’m dedicated and determined to build this business and make it successful and profitable enough that I can write full time.

Author bundles: It is a great group of authors. I was approached by the organizer, Uvi Poznansky, to join the bundle. My books are usually a bit steamy and she asked that I take Moving to Forever and tone it down to fit in the collection, which I did. I always think collaborations are important.
Featured on HBS Author’s Spotlight)


Author's Book List
Missing the Point
Designing Samantha's Love
Moving to You
Moving to Desire
Moving to Forever
Moving to Hope
Moving to Love


For the rest of the story...View P.J. Fiala - HBS Author's Spotlight

Tina D.C. Hayes
Author: Tina D.C. Hayes

Author Genre: Romance, Suspense, Mystery

Author's Blog: Tina D.C. Hayes
Website: Tina D.C. Hayes
Twitter: @Tina_DC_Hayes
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Tina DC Hayes writes romantic suspense and cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist. She lives down a little country road in western Kentucky with her husband and four children. A few pampered pooches and two parrots keep her company while they stand guard against writer's block. In her spare time she reads, hangs out with friends and family, watches movies, plays guitar, and indulges her inner Foodie in the kitchen and by chowing down at cool restaurants. Currently up to her elbows in diapers, she's an expert at 4 a.m. bottle feedings and Patty Cake.



Interview Excerpt

Next: I’m working on the second book in my Rock Candy Romantic Suspense series (Nefarious is Book 1). It’s about a party girl and a rich workaholic who are shocked and horrified when his mother announces their engagement about five minutes after they meet.

Social media: I love Twitter! It’s so much fun, plus it’s a fabulous way to connect with readers as well as other authors and people in the publishing industry. I tweet about writing and use it as a promotional tool for my books.

Personal appearances: I don’t have anything scheduled at the moment, but readers can check out my website and Facebook page for upcoming events.

Covers: I’m definitely a hands-on type of girl. I have an artistic family which helps too. My daughter Brittany is a photographer so she did a photo shoot with my Yorkie, Little Miss Scarlett, for the Yorkie Valentine novellas that are part of the boxed sets. When I needed an extra special image for the cover of No More Tears, my mom, Jan Cole, painted a beautiful landscape for me based on a description in the book.

Novella called No More Tears: That was a story burning to be told. It’s literary fiction, a stand-alone that’s quite different than my other books. No More Tears is an emotional novella about a woman struggling to accept her sister’s terminal cancer and how they both make peace with it.

Author bundles: Boxed sets and anthologies help expand an author’s fan base. Bundles give readers a chance to enjoy a dozen or so titles for one low price while they discover new authors in the collection. Sales for my other books usually increase as a result. J. L. Campbell did a wonderful job of putting together both Valentine boxed sets.
Valentine Pets & Kisses: Fourteen All-New, Sweet Valentine Romances
Valentine Pets & Kisses 2


Petal Pushers Mystery Series box set: I wanted to give my Petal Pushers fans a chance to have all the novels in the series as a set. As an author, it makes me so happy when readers tell me they go back to the first books after finishing the last one, either because they can’t get enough of the characters or want to see what clues they missed the first time through.

Free books: Who doesn’t like a freebie, right? Giveaways are fun and can introduce new readers to your work. If someone likes the free book, they often decide to read my other titles. I haven’t run into any obstacles that I can think of.

Blog: The blog is one of the best ways to connect with readers and authors. My goal when I started it was to have a place where I could talk about my writing projects, get feedback on different things, and promote new releases.

Author's Book List
Sweethearts and Paw Prints
Queen of Schnapps
Grudges, Goldenrods, and Ghosts
Secrets, Snapdragons, and a Spirit
Poison, Perennials, and a Poltergeist
No More Tears
Nefarious
Valentino, Be Mine


For the rest of the story...View Tina D.C. Hayes - HBS Author's Spotlight

Steena Holmes
Author: Steena Holmes

Author Genre: Contemporary, Chick Lit, Ebooks

Author's Blog: Steena Holmes
Website: Steena Holmes
Twitter: @Steenaholmes
E-Mail: steena@steenaholmes.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author!

With her passion for storytelling, Steena Holmes took her dream of being a full-time writer and made it a reality, writing her first novel while working as a receptionist. Her novels have won awards, such as: 2012 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE BOOK Award for her bestselling novel Finding Emma

2015 USA BOOK NEWS Award for The Word Game,

2015 USA BOOK NEWS finalist for The Memory Child.

Now both a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, with over a million copies sold, Steena continues to write stories that touch every parents heart in one way or another.



Interview Excerpt

Next: I actually just finished my next book in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series - Captured by Chocolate. This will be out in August and it’s the story about two soul mates who placed everything and everyone ahead of their own relationship.

Social media: I love how connected I can be with readers/book lovers via social media. Building my readership is never ending and it feels like I’m constantly needing to adjust how I do things every few months or so but one thing hasn’t changed since I started - connecting with readers and building relationships with them via relatable experiences.

Personal appearances: I’ll be in Surrey, BC this October for a conference and I’m doing a book club discussion here in Calgary this summer.

Audio books: I'm still growing within the audio world but more and more I’m finding new readers this way. In fact, I’m finding my own love for audio books and listening to them more and more. I would recommend this to new readers once they have a full series with a steady income since it can be costly for new authors.

Novellas: I love writing novellas especially when they are within a series. These are perfect to write when I don’t feel there’s enough story for a full length novel but there’s still a story to be told and it’s something my readers love. I was always told that novellas don’t work within women’s fiction but I disagree, for obvious reasons. They’re fun to write and fast to read, which is great for voracious readers.

Giveaways: I have two books that I give away for free, one is by joining my newsletter and one is free for everyone. I’ve done a few giveaways with other authors in the past and the goal is always to benefit readers.

Blog: I’m actually in the middle of rebranding/rebuilding my website and blog so that it’s more focused. Right now I feel like I’m pulled in too many directions and that’s my own fault.

Author's Book List
Charmed by Chocolate
Abby's Journey
Saving Abby
Stillwater Deep
Stillwater Tides
Stillwater Rising
Stillwater Shores
The Word Game
Sweet Retreat
Sweet Return
Sweet Dreams
Sweet Memories
Return to Sender
The Memory Child
Megan's Hope
Emma's Secret
Finding Emma
Halfway to Christmas
Halfway in Between
Halfway to Nowhere
Chocolate Reality


For the rest of the story...View Steena Holmes - HBS Author's Spotlight

S.R. Mallery
Author: S.R. Mallery

Author Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery

Author's Blog: S.R. Mallery
Website: S.R. Mallery's AND HISTORY FOR ALL
Twitter: @SarahMallery1
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
S.R. Mallery, Gold Medalist winner of the 2016 READER'S FAVORITE Book Awards for Anthologies, has been labeled nothing short of 'eclectic'. She has been a singer, a calligrapher, a quilt designer, and an ESL teacher. As a writer, History is her focus and is woven into her stories with a delicate thread. When people talk about the news of the day, or listen to music, Sarah's imagination likens the story to a similar kind of news in the past and is conjuring up scenes between characters she has yet to meet.



Interview Excerpt

Next: I plan on releasing my next book no later than December 2017. Untitled, as yet, my novel is a murder mystery/romance that takes place in 1920s Hollywood, right smack dab in the middle of the silent screen era.

Social media: Actually, because I have met such lovely, helpful people on Twitter as well as FB, I would say my media relationships have been quite important to me in my writing journey. As for my “niche,” I decided early on not to pay for services to just bombard me with followers.

Short stories: The “Pundits” claim writing short stories can be the Kiss Of Death in the literary world. But, having started out getting my flash fiction stories immediately published in literary magazines, then recently, receiving a Reader’s Favorite gold medal for my Sewing Can Be Dangerous stories, I’ve come to not worry about all that.

Author bundles: Firstly, I cannot claim responsibility for putting together that set. I was graciously invited in by Uvi Poznansky, who knew my work, and wanted to include me if at all possible. This was my first bundle experience, and I couldn’t be happier.
Featured on HBS Author’s Spotlight)


Support groups: ...there are two main ones that have been instrumental in helping me with marketing and writing. They are: 1) Authors Social Media Support Group (ASMSG), and 2) eNovel Authors At Work.

Book Bites which you offered samples for all 12 romance novels and novellas included in the set: Actually, this sage idea was through Uvi Poznansky, who noticed that other boxed sets were doing this and thought it would be a good idea for us to follow suit. I give her full credit for organizing and suggesting so much.

Author's Book List
Genteel Secrets
The Dolan Girls
Unexpected Gifts
Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads
TALES TO COUNT ON


For the rest of the story...View S.R. Mallery - HBS Author's Spotlight

Jennifer St. Giles
Author: Jennifer St. Giles

Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Gothic

Author's Blog: Jennifer St. Giles
Website: Jennifer St. Giles
Twitter: @jenniferstgiles
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
USA Today Bestselling author, Jennifer St. Giles, aka Jennifer Saints, J.L. Saint is no ordinary Georgia Peach. She's a Golden Heart, three-time Maggie, two-time National Reader's Choice, Marlene, RT Reviewer's Choice and Daphne du Maurier award-winning author.

Jenni writes in multiple genres, including: romance, paranormal, contemporary, historical and military and time travel. She is a passionate patriot, event planner and the Vice-President of a charitable foundation which helps women and children's causes.

Jenni believes fervently in following your dreams and never giving up.



Interview Excerpt

Next: My aspirations of what I want to achieve and the time table I want to make it happen rarely match, but I keep striving toward my goals. Current projects on my plate for this year: Short Story for Asylum Archives Volume 2 (paranormal crime thriller with characters from my Exposed Series), Finish Book 5 in the Shadowmen Series, Bewitching the Wolf (paranormal romantic thriller), and a novella for my Silent Warrior Series, What Didn't Happen in Vegas (military romantic suspense). For next year, finish A Rose from the Grave (an award winning time travel, and then answer the calling of another story. They are always whispering, "write me...write me...write me." My ultimate goal is to be able to write fulltime instead of part time.

Social Media lets authors connect to readers everyday, and I consider it an amazing gift. Before Social Media, authors were isolated in their writing caves unless they went to a book signing or a writing convention. I can't tell you how many times a reader has lifted my day and inspired me to write even though I'm exhausted from work…

Short stories and novellas are great for readers and for authors. Shorts offer a quick read for readers who don't have time for a longer book. They can try out an author, explore a series and the characters before delving into the longer books.

Not to sound despairing, but I do think today's market is a challenge that sometimes requires sacrifices. Giving away a book you've spent months writing isn't easy. With the emerging e-book and Independent publishing opportunities, I heard there are about 30,000 books published a day. That is a lot of competition. Giveaways and discounted books are important in today's marketing strategy, so readers are willing to try an author. But they have always been a tool in the publishing.

Published under several names and genres: Where I to do it over again, I'd stick with one name. Marketing and branding three is a nightmare. But as for the different genres, I have no regrets. I love story and spreading my creative nature's wings. It has likely cost me sales because it takes longer between book releases in a series and readers really want books out sooner than I deliver them…

Author bundles: The fabulous anthology about heroes who served our country with honor and find love in courageous heroines is completely the brain child and hard work of author Uvi Poznansky. She blessed me by asking me to join Love in Times of War. Featured on HBS Author’s Spotlight)

Author's Book List
Silken Shadows
Darkest Dreams
Midnight Secrets
Kaylee's Justice
Tactical Deception
Collateral Damage
Hot Irish Lass
The Lure of the Wolf
Kiss of Darkness
Bride of the Wolf
His Dark Desires
The Mistress of Trevelyan
A Weldon Family Christmas
Touch a Dark Wolf
Hard Irish Luck
Smooth Irish Seduction
Wild Irish Ride


For the rest of the story...View Jennifer St. Giles - HBS Author's Spotlight

Jim Stevens
Author: Jim Stevens

Author Genre: Humor and Comedy, Mystery, Crime

Author's Blog: This Writer’s Life
Website: Jim Stevens
Twitter: @JimStevensWritr
E-Mail: JimStevensWriter@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Jim Stevens was born in the East, grew up in the West, schooled in the Northwest and spent twenty-three winters in the Midwest. Jim Stevens has been writing for over thirty years. Usually without much success, but for some reason he keeps writing. Jim started writing TV series specs in the 1970’s and starved. He segued into spec movie scripts and really starved. He went into the corporate world for a twenty-five year career in broadcasting and advertising, but just couldn’t drop his pencil. He found time to write plays in the Chicago theater scene, wrote, produced, and directed numerous short films, videos, and TV commercials, created TV pilots, and even optioned a few movie scripts that never saw the glare of the Klieg lights.

Jim has been writing novels for the past four years. His Richard Sherlock Whodunit series has ranked him in the top 10% of Amazon authors. He is also the author of WHUPPED, a reverse romantic comedy from many different points of view. His latest novel, Hell No, We Won’t Go A Novel of Peace, Love, War, and Football is his first writing of a ‘serious’ nature.

Jim loves to hear from his readers, especially the ones who enjoy his books.



Interview Excerpt

Next: WHUPPED TOO will be launched in May. It is the sequel to WHUPPED, which was published four years ago. I have to warn you that both WHUPPED and WHUPPED TOO are in the R-rated category, but I assure you one great story and one heck of a lot of laughs.

Social media is one of the toughest challenges for any self-published writer. I have tried everything and, to be honest, I haven’t found the magic formula. I post, tweet, and twitter around so much, that some days I get dizzy thinking about it.

Personal appearances: I just got through the Tucson Festival of Books, which is by far the best book show in the country. For years, I’d join with as many as eight other writers, pool our money, and buy a booth at the LA TIMES Festival of Books. But the cost of a booth at the show has become so expensive…

Covers: What I do is come up with the concept myself, find stock photos that fit, and forward them to the same designer I’ve used since starting. I won’t tell you her name here because she went out of the business. The only reason she still does mine is I am very adept at begging.

Time Management: I write four hours each day, seven days a week, beginning early and ending before lunch, but only at home at my computer. My brain works best in the morning…

Free books: I do giveaways on the average of one every six weeks. I have found that 85% of the people who read my Sherlock books give them 4-5 stars, and if I can find enough to these readers to read one, I know it will be only a matter of time before they read them all. A freebie can be a very viable selling tool.

A reader list is the most important tool for any author. I wish mine was much, much longer. I push ‘getting on my list’ in my books, by giving away short stories, advertising on Facebook, posting videos on You Tube, all with the goal of adding to my list.

Blog: My goal is to entertain people. Whether it is through my books, YouTube Channel, website, blog, videos, mailing list, tweets, or posts I want people to know what Jim has to say is fun and worthwhile.

The Tucson Festival of Books 2017: Teresa Burrell, a fellow author and I share a booth at festivals. She kids me that as soon as the first attendee passes by our booth, I become Jim Stevens Carnival Barker. My theory is sometimes you have to do a little more to bring someone to the table. I try to make it fun because people come to these events to experience something different and new.
A Hot Time in the Desert – the Tucson Festival of Books 2017


Author's Book List
The Case of the Missing Milk Money
The Case of the Woebegone Widow
The Case of Mr. Wonderful
Hell No, We Won't Go
The Case of Tiffany's Epiphany
The Case of Moomah's Moolah
The Case of the Not-So-Fair Trader
WHUPPED


For the rest of the story...View Jim Stevens - HBS Author's Spotlight

Melissa Storm
Author: Melissa Storm

Author Genre: Contemporary, Spirituality, Romance

Author's Blog: Melissa Storm
Website: Melissa Storm
Twitter: @MelStormAuthor
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Melissa Storm is a mother first, and everything else second. She used to write under a pseudonym, but finally had the confidence to come out as herself to the world. Her fiction is highly personal and often based on true stories. Writing is Melissa's way of showing her daughter just how beautiful life can be, when you pay attention to the everyday wonders that surround us.

Melissa loves books so much, she married fellow author Falcon Storm. Between the two of them, there are always plenty of imaginative, awe-inspiring stories to share. Melissa and Falcon also run the business Novel Publicity together, where she works as publisher, marketer, editor, and all-around business mogul. When she's not reading, writing, or child-rearing, Melissa spends time relaxing at home in the company of her three dogs and five parrots. She never misses an episode of The Bachelor or her nightly lavender-infused soak in the tub. Ahh, the simple luxuries that make life worth living.



Interview Excerpt

Next Love’s Prophet and Love's Vow: The publication dates for Love’s Prophet and Love’s Vow were pushed back a little, because the series has been picked up by Kindle Press, who will republish the existing books and publish the next books in the series too. You can expect both Prophet and Vow this summer though—with Love’s Trial and Love’s Gift to follow before the end of the year!

Social media: Relationships are very important—and, yes, most of mine are online! I fell in love with social media fast and furious. A week after starting a blog, I had a business.

Personal appearances: I love doing Facebook Live videos and usually do at least one per week for my author followers. I do them less often for my readers, but I offer real slices of my life. I’ve broadcast with a facial mask on, while eating a sprinkled donut, and tons of other embarrassing stuff. I do get out and about in the real world and also serve on the board for the Ann Arbor Book Festival, which is the big local literary event.

Covers: My cover designer is a friend of mine from high school, Mallory Rock… She does all my covers and just knows how to read me and my needs. I’m very blessed to have her! Most times, she’ll design the covers for me before I even start writing the book…

Book trailers: I do my own book trailers, actually, so thank you very much! I did my first trailer for Love’s Prayer and now do them for each new First Street Church book. I generally start with a title, then get a cover, then do the trailer, then the back cover copy. Then I can start writing… after I create an intense 5,000-word outline.

Audio books: My audiobooks haven’t really taken off just yet, but Love’s Prayer recently released as a digital and CD audio book through a contract with Christian Audio. They have huge reach and the exact audience I’d love to see pick up my books, so I’m very excited for the potential.

I like the novella format. Since I’ve written so many kids books under my pen name Emlyn Chand, it’s easy for me to tell a complete story in a short format, and it obviously doesn’t take as much time to write and publish a shorter book.

Blog: I write blogs when I have something to say and don’t worry about keeping a specific schedule. I actually produce a mini version of my blog right in my newsletter every single week. I want readers to know me, the person behind the books.

Author's Book List
Love's Prophet
Love's Promise
Love's Prayer
Angels in Our Lives
A Wedding Miracle
A Cowboy Kind of Love
Texas and Tiaras
Walker Texas Wife
She Will Be Loved
You Belong with Me
You Make Me Feel So Young
I'll Never Stop Loving You
My Heart Belongs to Only You
When I Fall in Love
A Texas Kind of Love
A Colorful Life


For the rest of the story...View Melissa Storm - HBS Author's Spotlight

D.G. Torrens
Author: D.G. Torrens

Author Genre: Biographies & Memoirs, Romance, Contemporary

Author's Blog: My books & I…
Twitter: @Torrenstp
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
D.G. Torrens is the author of 13 books including, the bestselling trilogy, Amelia's Story #1 Amelia's Destiny #2 and Amelia The Mother #3 This is an emotion-charged true story that the author wrote for her daughter. D.G is a mother/writer/blogger who has a dream to inspire as many people as possible through her story. To show those with little hope that dreams can come true.

Born in England, passionate about writing, D.G. Torrens is a proud mother to one, 8-year-old daughter. Her first book, Amelia's Story, has inspired people all over the world. Amelia's Destiny, book #2 is the sequel and is followed by Amelia The Mother book #3 in this awe-inspiring trilogy. A memoir that remains with DGs readers long after they have put the book down...

D.G is a prolific writer and in 2013, her works were recognised by BBC Radio WM, where she has given several live interviews in the BBC studios in Birmingham UK. Her most recent interview was with Graham Torrington radio and T.V presenter for his BBC late night show.

A quote by D.G. Torrens: "If you close your eyes, you can be anywhere you wish to be."

D.G. Torrens lives by the motto, "The child first and foremost."



Interview Excerpt

Next: Amelia The Mother, is now available worldwide. This is the third book in my Amelia Series, which brings readers completely up to date with my life story. Amelia The Mother, answers many questions by fans of the first two books.

Social media is vastly important to the success of my books. In the beginning, no one knew who D.G. Torrens was! So I had to build my brand (D.G. TORRENS) gain readers and build a loyal following. I started off with twitter and networked with other writers/authors.

Personal appearances: Readers can keep up to date via the following:
Facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/dgtorrens/
Website: dawnsdaily.com


Covers: I have a lot of input in the creation of my book covers. I have two great cover designers that I work with. Each one of my cover designers offers something different. So depending on the type of cover I need or want depends on which cover designer I use.

Audio books: My Amelia Series has recently been converted to Audio books via Audible.com. This has had a huge impact on newly gained audience. My Amelia Series has reached the top 100 bestsellers in memoirs on Audio sales recently in the USA. Audio sales and Kindle sales are complimenting each other hugely.

Bundles: My readers seem to love bundles. Trilogy and series. They invest time and emotion into the characters and don’t want a story to end. The Poppy Fields seem to take on a life of its own. This particular story had many depths to it, far too much going on for a stand-alone novel I soon discovered while writing it

Reader list: I have my own book group with around 1,500 members. I am also a member of several groups important to my books. One particular group is a Biographies and Memoirs group… I do maintain a reader list and use various methods to find readers. I use my private groups and support groups as well as the obvious social media platforms. I am very active on my Facebook fanpage where I keep my readers up to date on all that is going on with upcoming releases, book promotions and appearances. I often discount my books and make all of my readers aware of this. I find doing giveaways on my fanpage is hugely successful and keeps your fans interested and excited. I often give away five signed books at a time and open up the giveaway worldwide and do not limit it to the UK.

Blog: It is very hard keeping up with it all. Especially as I have an 8-year-old daughter too! However, it is my passion for what I do that drives me. I am living my dream and not a day goes by that I don’t appreciate it. My website recently hit 1.3 million hits…

Several genres and literature formats: I find writing in several genres and literature formats helps me creatively. I have so many stories buzzing around my head continuously that my problem is often which one to write next. I love writing romantic suspense and poetry.

Author bundles: Love In Times of War Boxed Set, was a great opportunity to come together with other like-minded authors and produce something I had not done before.
Featured on HBS Author’s Spotlight)


Author's Book List
Amelia The Mother
Amelia's Destiny : Finding my way
Amelia's Story
FORBIDDEN
A Soldier's Fear
In Life We Trust
Eternity Bound
THE POPPY FIELDS
Whispers from Heaven
Tears of Endurance
Broken Wings


For the rest of the story...View D.G. Torrens - HBS Author's Spotlight

Wayne Zurl
Author: Wayne Zurl

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Crime, Suspense

Website: Wayne Zurl
Twitter: @waynezurl
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Wayne Zurl worked for twenty years as a police officer in New York before retiring to the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. For thirteen of those years he served as a section commander superivsing investigators. Prior to his police career, Zurl served in the US Army during the Vietnam war and continued on in the Reserves.

Before all that, he worked in the fledgling business of computers--when they were seven feet tall. Somewhat disenchanted with the IBM/data processing business, Zurl decided computers were nothing but a passing fad--something that would never replace humans, and he scrapped reentry into that world after returning from his stint with the Army overseas, and collected unemployment insurance until he was offered the only job somewhat compatable with his military background. In 2006 he began writing police stories.

His premier novel, A NEW PROSPECT, won Indie and Eric Hoffer Book Awards for best Mystery and Commercial Fiction respectively. Zurl has also been named as a finalist for a First Horizon Book Award and a Montaigne Medal. He currently has twenty-seven mystery novelettes and seven novels being sold or about to be published as audio books and/or Kindle books.



Interview Excerpt

Next: Later this year my current publisher, Melange Books LLC, will be releasing three anthologies each featuring six of the Sam Jenkins novelette mysteries we’ll talk about later. In order of publication they will be called:

A MURDER IN KNOXVILLE and Other Sam Jenkins Mysteries, THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN BANK JOB and Other Sam Jenkins Mysteries and GRACELAND ON WHEELS and More Sam Jenkins Mysteries.


Social media: I began utilizing Twitter and Facebook as soon as I had something published—not by choice, but by necessity and reluctantly. I think writing is fun; the post-publication social media marketing is too much like work. But, I do it four or five days a week. I’m listed in dozens of Facebook reader/writer publicity groups and have more than 12,000 twitter followers. I’ll probably never be able to attribute an accurate number of book sales to my efforts on these media giants.

Personal appearances: I like to do traditional book signings. Those are what I envisioned as the mainstay of a writer’s marketing obligations before I got into the fiction business. I was wrong about that. eBooks far outsell hardcopies from small publishers. But, I still like to hang out, smile for the people and speak with readers interested in mysteries and what police work was really like.

Covers: My publisher employs a few well trained cover design artists. So far I’ve worked with three. To give the artist a starting point, each writer is asked to complete a fairly complicated “artwork questionnaire.” From that, the artist takes off and creates a proof cover.

Novelettes: Eighteen of my novelette mysteries have been produced as audio books while simultaneously being published as eBooks by Mind Wings Audio. The whole premise of these novelette length books was to create one hour “commuter audio books,” similar to those great old radio dramas of the 1940s and ‘50s.

Author bundles: DEATH OF CHOICE wasn’t the first multi-author anthology I contributed to. It was the first offered for free as a way to introduce readers to our work. I did several others that were sold to make money for charities.

DEATH OF CHOICE was the brainchild of my writer friend, Micheal Maxwell, who took care of assembling, formatting and publishing the book.


Free books: I’m half Scottish, giving away free books came as naturally to me as an Arab and a Jew sitting down together for a friendly breakfast of bacon and eggs. For years I was against it. But then I saw enough evidence that it was the way to go if you want to build a big email subscriber list and introduce people to your series. My publisher agreed to offer the first book in the series, A NEW PROSPECT, as a “perma-free” book and see how that premise developed.

Getting reviews: I’ve booked into several paid “virtual book tours” where semi-professional reviewers / bloggers agree to read my book and write an honest review. This worked fairly well, but nothing like putting a short message at the back of a free book saying: “If you liked your free copy of A NEW PROSPECT please leave a short review on Amazon.com. Sam Jenkins and I will love you to death.”

Author's Book List
Honor Among Thieves
A Can of Worms
A Touch of Morning Calm
Pigeon River Blues
Heroes and Lovers
A Leprechaun's Lament
A New Prospect
From New York to the Smokies


For the rest of the story...View Wayne Zurl - HBS Author's Spotlight

HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

Dianne Harman
Featured Book: Murder & The Movie Star


The last thing Mike Reynolds needed in the final weeks leading up to his run for re-election as sheriff of Beaver County, Oregon, was to have his wife, Kelly, discover the body of a famous movie actress. It didn't help that she'd died under mysterious circumstances from a fall off the cliff behind her home.

Did she accidentally fall over it or was it murder? And if she was murdered, who did it? Was it her daughter who wanted her mother's money, so she could give it to the yoga guru she was studying with at his spartan retreat center located in the nearby forest? Or was it her gardener, who desperately needed money to deal with the terminal diagnosis his wife had been given by her doctor? Or could it have been the director of The Triangle, the movie she was about to film, because he was afraid she'd ruin his chances for an Oscar? What about the supporting actress who'd wanted to have the lead role in the movie? Or the screenwriter, who didn't understand why the movie star refused to read the changes he made to the script? Or even the star's ex-husband, furious with what she'd told a reporter about his acting ability?

Join Kelly, Mike, their dogs, and a helpful neighbor by the name of Roger Babowal, as they try to find out what really happened on the cliff that night.

Author: Dianne Harman

Author Genre: Romance and Literary Fiction

Author's Blog: Dianne Harman Author
Website: Dianne Harman Author
Twitter: @DianneDHarman
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Dianne Harman draws her stories and characters from a diverse business and personal background. She owned a national antique and art appraisal business for many years, left that industry, and opened two yoga centers where she taught yoga and certified yoga instructors. She's traveled extensively throughout the world and loves nothing more than cooking and playing with her new puppy, Kelly.

Being a dog lover and having attended numerous cooking schools, she couldn't resist writing about food and dogs. She is the author of three cozy mystery series: Cedar Bay, Liz Lucas, and her newest, High Desert. Each of these books contains recipes from her travels. She is also the author of the award-winning suspenseful Coyote Series.

A number of books in her cozy mystery series have been designated by Amazon as All-Stars because of their sales, and Dianne has been named by Amazon seven times as one of their most popular authors.

She invites you to visit her web site at: www.dianneharman.com and sign up for her newletters. You'll receive a free book and have a weekly chance to win an autographed boxed set of the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series.

Author's Book List
Murder & The Movie Star
Murder on Bainbridge Island
Murder in Calistoga
Trouble at the Animal Shelter
ALEXIS
Murder at the Polo Club
Murder at the Clinic
Murder on the East Coast
High Desert Cozy Mysteries #1
Murder at the Big T Lodge
Murdered by Country Music
Murdered by Words
Trouble at the Kennel
The Blue Butterfly
Murder in Cuba
Murder & the Secret Cave
Murder At The Bed & Breakfast
Murder & The Monkey Band
Murder at the Cooking School
The Death Card
Murder in Calico Gold
Murder and Brandy Boy
Murder in the Pearl District
Murder in Cottage #6
Marriage and Murder
White Cloud Retreat
Murder at Jade Cove
Kelly's Koffee Shop
COYOTE SERIES
CORNERED COYOTE
Coyote in Provence
Blue Coyote Motel


For the rest of the story...View Dianne Harman - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

HBS Bundles and Co-Authored Showcase


Featured Set: Luck of the Draw



AVAILABLE at Amazon



13 lucky stories EXCLUSIVE to this boxset available for a LIMITED time! 13 tales of unimaginable luck - 13 fascinating novellas of love, loss, and mystery. From lotteries to sweepstakes, poker to roulette and horse racing to wishes, these 13 stories will make you wish you'd been the winner!

These 13 novellas are BRAND NEW and have never been published. Written by USA Today Bestselling, International, and Bestselling authors.

1 - Sometimes You Win by Stacy Eaton, USA Today Bestselling Author Haley thinks playing the lottery is a waste of money, something she has little of. But what happens with Devon talks her into it and they win?

2 - Fade into Love by Michele Shriver, International Bestselling Author Wren's sweepstakes win lands her a walk-on role in a movie, where she crosses paths with the film's second assistant director. Will her fade to black role fade into love, instead?

3 - Insert Wife Here by Susan Ann Wall, National Bestselling Author Sean Beckett turns Cynthia Munn's luck -- and her world -- upside down with a harmless date, a risky bet, and a night Cyn might regret.

4 - Baby, Maybe by Lyssa Layne, National and International Bestselling Author On the outside, Julie and Shawn have the perfect marriage--all they need is a child to complete their family. When fate is found taped to their door, will their family finally become whole?

5 - Hold 'Em by Jacquie Biggar, USA Today Bestselling Author In the game of love, all bets are off. Professional poker player Matt Shaughnessy wins more than he expects in the pot of a lifetime. A fiancée for a week.

6 - Going All In by Amy Manemann, International Bestselling Author A return to his roots stirs up small town love when Tucker Williams reconnects with old flame, Hadley James.

7 - Placing Her Bet by Sharon Coady, National Bestselling Author While Carissa places a bet at the races she collides with Joseph. Sparks fly, she thinks she's found a man she can trust but an overheard conversation shatters her faith.

8 - Owned by Jade Kerrion, Award Winning Author Unhappily divorced, Marie wins a $1,000,000 lottery. When her ex-husband re-enters her life, is he after her, or after her winnings?

9 - So Unlike Me by Nikki Lynn Barrett, USA Today Bestselling Author Lizette's pretending to be her twin. Dirk's happy to have an old friend around during a rough time. What happens when real feelings develop and the truth comes out?

10 - Lost and Rich by Jude Ouvrard, International bestselling Author Widowed before her thirtieth birthday, Gracie has dealt with enough tragedy in her life. Will her newfound fortune pave the road to happiness?

11 - Love in the World of Make Believe by Janis Susan May, International Bestselling Author Edith is delighted to win a role in her favorite show. Fearsomely scarred second lead Lupo falls for Edith, but can he reveal his feelings when he carries so many secrets?

12 - Whole Lot 'o Love by Bonnie Edwards, National Bestselling Author Ashlee Branton's stroke of luck is giving her and her son a new, settled life back home. But returning home means facing her son's father, Brick Harcourt, in a most unsettling way.

13 - Double Down by Cathy Perkins, International Bestselling Author Murder isn't supposed to be in the cards for blackjack dealer Maddie Larsson. Detective JC Dimitrak must play his cards correctly and find the killer before an innocent woman takes the ultimate hit.


Author: Stacy Eaton


Author: Stacy Eaton
Author Genre: Crime, Thriller and Mystery

Website: Stacy Eaton
Author's Blog: Stacy Eaton, Author
Twitter: @StacySEaton
E-Mail: Mybloodrunsblue@aol.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Best Selling author and began her writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took an early retirement from law enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016, with her last three years in investigations and crime scene investigation to write full time.

Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, who works in law enforcement, and her teen daughter who is working toward her second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and on the choral and cheerleading squads at school. She also has a son who is currently serving in the United States Navy.

Stacy is very involved in Domestic Violence Awareness and served on the Board of Directors for her local Domestic Violence Center for three years.

Author: Michele Shriver


Author: Michele Shriver
Author Genre: Real Life Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

Website: Michele Shriver
Author's Blog: Michele Shriver - Author of Real Life Women's Fiction
Twitter: @micheleshriver
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
I was born in Iowa and raised in Texas and now live in Iowa again. I am proud to consider both states to be home, and therefore poke fun at both of them, but it's always meant in the nicest way possible. I am a practicing attorney with a focus on juvenile law and have also worked as an educator, and some of my experiences have found their way into my writing. My dream is to someday pay the bills as a writer and be able to spend winters in the Dallas area going to Dallas Stars hockey games. In my free time, when I'm not writing, I am probably at a Zumba class, riding my bike, watching a football, hockey or soccer game on TV, or enjoying a glass of wine while I lose myself in a good book written by someone else.

Author: Susan Ann Wall


Author: Susan Ann Wall
Author Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Suspense

Website: Susan Ann Wall
Author's Blog: Susan Ann Wall
Twitter: @susanannwall
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Big dreamer and certifiable overachiever Susan Ann Wall embraces life at full speed and volume. She’s a beer and tea snob, can be bribed with dark chocolate, and the #1 thing on her bucket list is to be the center of a Bon Jovi flash mob.

Susan is a national bestselling, multi-genre author of racy, rule-breaking romance and women’s fiction. Her bragging rights include ten books in three different series (some published as Ann Victor), three perfect children, two amazing rescue dog, and a happily ever after that started while serving in the U.S. Army and has spanned two decades (which is crazy since she’s not a day over 29).

In her next life, Susan plans to be a 5 foot 10, size 8 rock star married to a chiropractor and will not be terrified of large bridges, spiders, or quiet people (shiver).

Author: Lyssa Layne


Author: Lyssa Layne
Author Genre: Romance, Chick Lit

Twitter: @layne_lyssa
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Lyssa Layne is first, and foremost, the proud momma to her precious daughter, AR. In addition to working full-time and being a mommy to AR, she is also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, a runner, blogger, and an infertility survivor. Having watched one too many medical dramas and being inspired by author Rachelle Ayala, who introduced her to the world of indie writing, Lyssa decided to try her hand at writing a romance story. Her attempt turned into the Burning Lovesick series. You can find Lyssa's own interests throughout her stories although all stories are fictional.

Author: Jacquie Biggar


Author: Jacquie Biggar
Author Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Suspense

Website: Jacquie Biggar - Romance Suspense Writer w/Attitude
Twitter: @JacqBiggar
E-Mail: jbiggar@telusplanet.net
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
JACQUIE BIGGAR is a USA TODAY bestselling author of Romantic Suspense who loves to write about tough, alpha males who know what they want. That is until they're gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them what they really need is love. She is the author of the popular Wounded Hearts series and has just started a new series in paranormal suspense, Mended Souls.

She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters.

Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can't function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart. :)

Author: Amy Manemann


Author: Amy Manemann
Author Genre: Romantic Suspense, Young Adult Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance

Author's Blog: Author Amy Manemann
Twitter: @AmyManemann
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Amy Manemann is an International Best Selling Author. She writes sexy and intriguing romantic suspense, young adult paranormal romance, contemporary romance (NEW), and dabbles in children's books. She resides in her hometown along the Mississippi river with her husband and their two children. When she isn't plotting her next book, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and diving into a good book. Amy is also a site administrator for the World Literary Café, an online literary community for authors and readers. www.worldliterarycafe.com.

Author: Sharon Coady


Author: Sharon Coady
Author Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal

Twitter: @srcoady
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Sharon Coady was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in Rockville, Maryland. After 22 years of traveling around the world because of her husbands Career in the U.S. Army, Sharon and Ed have settled in Florida with three of their daughters and five of their ten grandchildren. Sharon is a nurse working for the Veterans Administration. She is the mother of four daughters and grandmother to three granddaughters and seven grandsons. Yesterdays Memories is her first book. Writing has always been something that she has loved to do, after years of encouragement from her mother she finally got the courage to publish her first book. She has now finished writing her second book, a young adult paranormal which will be published soon and she has started work on a new adult novel. Once the third book is finished she plans to write sequels to both of her first books.

Author: Jade Kerrion


Author: Jade Kerrion
Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Website: Jade Kerrion
Author's Blog: Journey Through the Language of Love…
Twitter: @JadeKerrion
E-Mail: jade.kerrion@gmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
JADE KERRION is the author of the Double Helix series, which has won a total of eight science fiction awards, including the Gold Medal in Readers Favorites 2013. Her Guild Wars fan fiction was accused of keeping her readers up at night, distracting them from work, housework, homework, and (far worse), from actually playing Guild Wars. And then she wondered why just screw up the time management skills of gamers? Why not aspire to screw everyone else up too? So here she is, writing science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance novels that aspire to keep you from doing anything else useful with your time.

Author: Nikki Lynn Barrett


Author: Nikki Lynn Barrett
Author Genre: Romance, Chick Lit, Young Adult

Author's Blog: Nikki Lynn Barrett
Twitter: @Stormgoddess925
E-Mail: nikkilynnbarrett@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
I'm an avid lover of books. I've been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first "book" by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I'll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.

Author: Jude Ouvrard


Author: Jude Ouvrard
Author Genre: Romance, Ebooks, Contemporary

Author's Blog: Jude Ouvrard
Twitter: @AuthorJude_O
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Jude Ouvrard is an author who writes from the heart, and reads with passion and devotion. Jude enjoys stories of drama, true love, tattoos, and everything in between. While writing is her therapy, reading is her solace. Life doesn't get better than books and chocolate, and maybe a little bit of shopping.

A romance lover, Jude writes about love, pain, heartbreak and matters that will challenge your heart. A book can tell an unexpected story, no matter which directions it takes. Jude embraces words that have haunted her for years.

Jude is a working mom who dedicates her time to a law firm and writing books. She has an energetic superhero son, and a supportive boyfriend of many years. Her family is her rock; she could not survive without them. Born a country girl, she transformed into a city woman who now lives in Montreal, Canada. Although French is her first language, Jude decided to write in English because she liked the challenge.

Jude Ouvrard is the author of two novellas, Under the Sun and Wonderland, and three novels, "Lost Dreams," "Body, Ink, and Soul," and "Ophelia." She is currently working on sequels to her novels.

Author: Janis Susan May


Author: Janis Susan May
Author Genre: Mysteries, Romances, Children’s books

Website: Janis Susan May
Twitter: @JanisSusanMay
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
Janis Susan May is a seventh-generation Texan and a third-generation wordsmith who writes mysteries as Janis Patterson, romances and other things as Janis Susan May, children’s books as Janis Susan Patterson and scholarly works as J.S.M. Patterson.

Formerly an actress and singer, a talent agent and Supervisor of Accessioning for a bio-genetic DNA testing lab, Janis has also been editor-in-chief of two multi-magazine publishing groups as well as many other things, including an enthusiastic amateur Egyptologist.

Janis married for the first time when most of her contemporaries were becoming grandmothers. Her husband, also an Egyptophile, even proposed in a moonlit garden near the Pyramids of Giza. Janis and her husband live in Texas with an assortment of rescued furbabies.

Author: Bonnie Edwards


Author: Bonnie Edwards
Author Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal

Website: Bonnie Edwards
Twitter: @BonnieEdwards
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
For someone who's come to writing erotic romance the hard way...this rollercoaster is a blast! After many years at different, boring jobs, I'm finally doing what I love best. Writing hot, writing fun, writing romance! I live in the majestic Pacific Northwest where the rain makes it easy to sit in an office and write. But, even the rain can't make me give up my long walks in the woods where I dream up storylines and fun characters. To learn more about upcoming releases, please go to my website at http://bonnieedwards.com and sign up for my newsletter. Since I feel my readers lead busy lives, I only send out notices about new books, or special deals. I hope you'll take a moment to click and stay informed!

Author: Cathy Perkins


Author: Cathy Perkins
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Romance, Suspense

Website: Cathy Perkins
Author's Blog: Cathy Perkins
Twitter: @cperkinswrites
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile


Author Description:
An award-winning author, Cathy Perkins works in the financial industry, where she's observed the hide-in-plain-sight skills employed by her villains. She writes predominantly financial-based mysteries but enjoys exploring the relationship aspect of her characters' lives. A member of Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America (Kiss of Death chapter) and International Thriller Writers, she is a contributing editor for The Big Thrill, handles the blog and social media for the ITW Debut Authors, and coordinated the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, the setting for CYPHER, HONOR CODE and THE PROFESSOR, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.

Authors Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
They also sponsor:
HBS Author's Spotlight
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the product or services discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.

Permission from the author is required via email to publish this post. It is not a group, subscription or forum. Some links maybe affiliate links.

HBSystems Publications Copyright 2017